Bihar Election 2025 Phase 1: Key Contestants to Watch in the First Round of Polls
The first phase of the Bihar Election 2025 marks the beginning of a high-stakes political battle featuring influential leaders like Tejashwi Yadav, Nitish Kumar, Chirag Paswan, and Kanhaiya Kumar. With alliances reshaping and voter loyalties shifting, this phase will set the tone for the rest of the election, highlighting Bihar’s dynamic political landscape and the key issues driving voters—jobs, development, and representation.
Tejashwi Yadav (RJD)
Tejashwi Yadav is the chief ministerial face of the opposition and Mahagathbandhan. He favors progressive social policies that attract rural youth and anti-incumbency voters.
Samrat Choudhary (BJP)
CHoudhary, Deputy Chief Minister, brings OBC political interest and leadership energy to the BJP. He is trying for the first time from Tarapur, a seat with serious profiles.
Vijay Kumar Sinha (BJP)
BJP Deputy Chief Minister from Lakhisarai, is running for the first time, but that will not affect the experience he brings. His value proposition to BJP voters is predicated on educational and labour rights experience, he offers educational policy reform to a voting bloc loyal to the BJP.
Tej Pratap Yadav (RJD)
Having this nuanced style of action, Tej Pratap Yadav, the older son of Lalu Prasad is running from Mahua. He incorporates many actions in both political public actions and his personal actions in order to provide consistency to RJD narratives.
Umesh Kushwaha (JD(U))
Kushwaha, JD(U) state president establishes some Kurmi and OBC electoral base, and is demonstrating Nitish Kumar's consolidating strategy in important sector of the Bihar electorate.
Maheshwar Hazari (JD(U))
Information and Public Relations Minister Maheshwar Hazari contests Kalyanpur (reserved). He’s a prominent JD(U) Dalit leader, important for alliances with marginalized communities.
Bhola Yadav (RJD)
Former RJD party strategist and ally of Lalu Prasad who represents traditional RJD supporters in Bhagalpur.
Nitin Nabin (BJP)
Nitin Nabin, Road Construction Minister runs in Bankipur as an experienced politician, known for infrastructure, has been hardworking in Patna and selling urban policies and record with middle-class voters.
Mangal Pandey (BJP)
Health Minister in the BJP government running in Siwan for the first time and healthcare advocate by profession, carries a public policy theme focused on healthcare sector schemes and public health related issues.
Khesari Lal Yadav (RJD)
Khesari Lal Yadav, Bhojpuri film actor and musician, brings famous person appeal to the RJD candidacy in the hopes of means mass appeal outside of party identifiers and electrifying local events.
Maithili Thakur (BJP)
Maithili Thakur, a popular folk singer, represents youthful energy and cultural prominence for the BJP. Her candidacy aims to directly connect to the Maithili-speaking vote and Bihar's artists.
Vijay Kumar Choudhary (JD(U))
Vijay Kumar Choudhary is a senior JD(U) leader, and the Water Resources Minister who represents Sarairanjan. His administrative experience is widely respected in both water policy, and broad policy work on irrigation administration.
Disclaimer
This gallery is based on publicly available information and media reports as of October 2025. It aims to provide an overview of the leading contestants in the first phase of Bihar’s 2025 Assembly Elections and does not reflect or predict electoral outcomes.
