The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections have rewritten the state’s political history. In a resounding show of strength, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) captured more than 200 of the 243 seats, delivering one of the most decisive mandates in recent memory. This election was not only about numbers, it revealed stark contrasts, with some candidates winning by massive margins while others faced heartbreak in races decided by mere votes.
Landslide Victories and Unexpected Blowouts
Many constituencies saw victories by over 50,000 votes, a dramatic leap from the previous elections where only a single candidate crossed that threshold. These results underline a growing consolidation of support for the NDA and the challenges faced by opposition parties attempting to break through in traditional strongholds.
Yet, this wave of wins was matched by stunning upsets for some of Bihar’s most prominent figures.
Prominent Leaders Who Faced Defeat
Tej Pratap Yadav
Tej Pratap Yadav, son of RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav and leader of his own Janshakti Janta Dal, faced a humiliating defeat in Mahua. Contesting for the first time after being expelled from RJD in May, he finished third, securing 35,703 votes. LJP (RV)’s Sanjay Kumar Singh dominated with 87,641 votes, while RJD’s Mukesh Kumar Raushan came second with 42,644 votes.
Khesari Lal Yadav
Bhojpuri superstar Khesari Lal Yadav made his political debut on an RJD ticket but could not clinch the Chapra seat. BJP’s Chhoti Kumari won comfortably with 86,845 votes, edging out Khesari, who received 79,245 votes.
Ran Kaushal Pratap Singh
Lauriyaa’s contest saw the richest candidate of the elections, Ran Kaushal Pratap Singh of VIP, lose to BJP’s Vinay Bihari by nearly 27,000 votes. Bihari secured 96,510 votes, highlighting the gap between wealth and electoral appeal.
Other Notable Losses
- Manish Kashyap, the YouTube sensation Tripurari Kumar Tiwary, fell short in Chanpatia on a Jan Suraaj Party ticket but managed over 10% of the votes.
- Shivani Shukla, daughter of Bahubali Vijay Kumar Shukla, lost Lalganj to BJP’s Sanjay Kumar Singh by more than 32,000 votes.
- Veteran leader Uday Narayan Choudhary, contesting from Sikandra after four decades in Imamganj, was defeated by HAM (Secular)’s Praphull Kumar Manjhi by over 23,000 votes.
Races Decided by the Narrowest Margins
While some candidates enjoyed landslide victories, others faced agonisingly close defeats, reflecting the fierce competition across the state:
- Dipu Singh (RJD) lost to Radha Charan Sah (JDU) by just 27 votes, the slimmest margin in the entire election.
- Shiv Prakash Ranjan (CPI-ML) fell short by 95 votes against Mahesh Paswan (BJP).
- In Dhaka, Pawan Kumar Jaiswal (BJP) lost to Faisal Rahman (RJD) by 178 votes.
- Vidya Sagar Keshari (BJP) was defeated by Manoj Bishwas (Congress) in Forbesganj by 221 votes.
- Mohammad Adil Hasan (AIMIM) lost in Balrampur to LJP (RV)’s Sangita Devi by 389 votes.
These razor-thin margins underscore the unpredictability of Bihar politics, where every vote counts and even high-profile candidates are vulnerable.