Bihar will go to polls on Tuesday for the second phase of the Assembly elections, covering 122 constituencies across the state. Over 4 lakh security personnel have been deployed to ensure peaceful voting at 45,399 polling stations.
The campaign for this phase ended on Sunday. In this round, the main contest is between the Mahagathbandhan — comprising the RJD, Congress, Left parties, and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) — and the NDA alliance, which includes the BJP, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM). Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj Party is also a key player in Bihar this time.
Several prominent leaders, including two former Deputy Chief Ministers, are in the fray in this phase of the election.
Bihar Assembly Election Phase 2: Check key candidates in fray
Renu Devi (BJP): The NDA has fielded former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi from Bettiah. Currently a minister in the Nitish Kumar-led government, Renu Devi has a long association with the constituency — she represented Bettiah from 2000 to 2015, before losing to a Congress candidate in the 2015 Assembly election. She made a comeback in 2020, reclaiming the seat.
A senior BJP leader and former member of the Durga Vahini, the women’s wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Renu Devi will this time face Congress’s Washi Ahmad and Jan Suraaj Party’s (JSP) Anil Kumar Singh in what is expected to be a keenly contested battle.
Tarkishore Prasad (BJP): Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad has been fielded by the NDA from Katihar. A four-time MLA from this constituency, Prasad has represented Katihar in the Bihar Assembly since 2005, winning four consecutive elections. Over the years, he has also headed several key ministries in Nitish Kumar’s government.
A long-time member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Prasad began his political journey with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
In Katihar, his main challengers include Saurav Kumar Agarwal of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), Ghazi Sharique Ahmad of the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), and Ahmad Raza of the AIMIM.
Bima Bharati (RJD): The Mahagathbandhan has fielded Bima Bharti from the Rupauli constituency. Bharti, who was elected as the MLA from Rupauli in 2020, resigned in 2024 to contest the Lok Sabha elections. She switched from the JD(U) to the RJD and contested the Purnia Lok Sabha seat, but lost to Independent candidate Pappu Yadav.
A bypoll was subsequently held in Rupauli, where Bharti contested as the RJD candidate but finished third.
This time, she will face competition from Janata Dal (United) leader Kaladhar Prasad Mandal and Jan Suraaj Party's (JSP) Amod Kumar.
Krishnanandan Paswan (BJP): The NDA has fielded Krishnanandan Paswan from Harsidhi. He is a sitting MLA from this constituency and currently serves as a minister in the Nitish Kumar-led government.
Paswan’s main challengers in the upcoming election are Rajendra Kumar from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Awadhesh Kumar from the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP).
Raju Tiwari (LJP-RV): Raju Tiwari, the state president of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) led by Chirag Paswan, has been fielded by the NDA from the Govindganj constituency.
He faces tough competition from Congress candidate Shashi Bhushan Rai (popularly known as Gappu Rai) and Jan Suraaj Party’s Krishna Kant Mishra.
Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu (BJP): The NDA has fielded Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu from Chhatapur. A sitting MLA and minister in the Nitish Kumar-led government, Bablu has won this seat for three consecutive terms.
In the upcoming election, he faces a strong challenge from the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) candidate Vipin Kumar Singh and the Jan Suraaj Party’s (JSP) Abhay Kumar Singh.
Shakeel Ahmad Khan (Congress): The Mahagathbandhan has nominated Shakeel Ahmad Khan as its candidate from Kadwa. Khan has successfully represented this constituency for the past two terms. His main challengers in the upcoming election include Dulal Chandra Goswami of the Janata Dal (United), Md Shaharyar from Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), and Md Shakir Reza of the AIMIM.
Shailesh Kumar Mandal (JDU): The NDA has fielded Shailesh Kumar Mandal from Gopalpur. Mandal previously represented Bhagalpur in Lok Sabha from 2014 to 2019 as a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate but lost the 2019 election. He later switched allegiance to the Janata Dal (United).
His main opponents in Gopalpur are Prem Sagar, also known as Dablu Yadav, of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), and Mankeshwar Singh, alias Mantu Singh, of the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP).
Ajit Sharma (Congress): The Mahagathbandhan has fielded Ajit Sharma from Bhagalpur. A sitting MLA from this seat, he is the father of Bollywood actress Neha Sharma.
His main challengers are Rohit Pandey of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Abhay Kant Jha of the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP).
Mohd Zama Khan (JDU): Mohd Zama Khan has been fielded by the NDA from Chainpur. He is one of four Muslim candidates nominated by the alliance, all representing the JDU. Khan has held this seat since 2020 and currently serves as a minister in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet.
His main challengers are Brij Kishore Bind of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Bal Govind Bind of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), and Hemant Kumar Choubey of the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP).
Snehlata Kushwaha (RLM): The NDA has fielded Snehlata Kushwaha from Sasaram. She is making her electoral debut and is the wife of Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha.
Her main competitors in the constituency are Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Satendra Sah and Jan Suraaj Party’s Binay Kumar Singh.
Deepa Manjhi (HAM): Deepa Manjhi, the sitting MLA from Imamganj, will be contesting the upcoming election as the NDA candidate. She is the daughter-in-law of former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and the wife of Bihar Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) chief Santosh Kumar Suman.
Her main challengers are Ritu Priya Chaudhary of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Dr. Ajeet Kumar of the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP).
Shreyasi Singh (BJP): The NDA has fielded Shreyasi Singh from Jamui. A gold medalist in shooting, Singh is also the sitting MLA from this constituency.
She is the daughter of former Union Minister Digvijay Singh, a close associate of George Fernandes, while her mother, Putul Kumari, has served as a Lok Sabha MP.
Her main challengers in the race are Mohammad Shamshad Alam of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Anil Prasad Sah of the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP).
Samir Kumar Mahaseth (RJD): The Mahagathbandhan has fielded Samir Kumar Mahaseth from Madhubani, who has represented the constituency for the past two terms. He also held a ministerial position during the Mahagathbandhan government when the RJD and JD(U) were in alliance.
He will face competition from Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) candidate Anil Kumar Mishra and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) contender Madhaw Anand.
Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam (RJD): Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam has been fielded by the Mahagathbandhan from the Jokihat constituency. He is the incumbent MLA, having won the seat in 2020 as an AIMIM candidate. During the Mahagathbandhan government, when the RJD and JD(U) were in alliance, he also served as a minister.
Alam is the son of Mohammed Taslimuddin, a veteran politician who served as a member of Lok Sabha multiple times.
In the upcoming election, he faces stiff competition from Janata Dal (United) leader Manzar Alam, Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) candidate Sarfaraj Alam, and AIMIM’s Mohammad Murshid Alam.
