Patna: Two constituencies have come to symbolize the political climate in Bihar on counting day: Raghopur and Mahua. Both seats, historically linked to the RJD’s leading family, are experiencing a significant and unforeseen shift, with Lalu Prasad’s sons—Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav—trailing as of 11:30 AM. For Tejashwi, who is the Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial candidate, the morning started on a hopeful note. He held a lead in Raghopur until around 11 AM, but fell behind within half an hour. By the end of the fourth round, BJP candidate Satish Kumar had established a lead of 17,599 votes, with Tejashwi at 14,583, trailing by over 3,000 votes.
Satish Kumar is familiar with the constituency, having defeated Tejashwi’s mother and former chief minister Rabri Devi in the 2010 Assembly elections. Political analysts suggest that the early trends support assertions made by Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor and Tej Pratap, both of whom indicated that Tejashwi might face challenges in retaining Raghopur this time. With the leader of a seven-party opposition coalition now striving to secure his own seat, the symbolism is significant. Meanwhile, in Mahua, Tej Pratap Yadav—running not on an RJD ticket but as a Janshakti Janta Dal candidate—is also trailing. His main opponent is Dr. Mukesh Roshan of the RJD, marking a rare and notable intra-family political divide.
The constituency has become further divided with Indrajit Pradhan of the Jan Suraaj Party and Amit Kumar from AIMIM also in the fray. However, the most substantial early gains in Mahua have been made by LJP (Ram Vilas) candidate Sanjay Kumar Singh, who is currently in the lead. His ascent adds another layer of complexity to a seat that has evolved into one of the most unpredictable contests in the election. As counting continues, Raghopur and Mahua have emerged as indicators of the RJD’s organizational strength, the Mahagathbandhan’s messaging, and the shifting allegiances of Bihar’s voters.
