Bihar Elections 2025: Lalu’s sons struggling? Tej Pratap, Tejashwi Yadav eye seats from great distance

Bihar Elections 2025: After trailing in the initial rounds of counting, Mahagathbandhan’s Chief Ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav briefly regained momentum but has now fallen behind again. His key challenger, BJP’s Satish Kumar, is currently leading in the high-stakes constituency. In Mahua, his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav is struggling to gain ground, trailing by a margin of over 26,000 votes.

The Bihar Assembly Election results so far appear to be moving in line with exit poll predictions, with the NDA heading towards a sweeping victory, leading in 202 seats as per the latest ECI data. The Mahagathbandhan or INDIA bloc is attempting to unseat Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has held the state’s top office for nearly two decades.

A crucial family battle in Bihar politics

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As of Round 10, the contest has turned intensely personal for the family of former chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, with both his sons now trailing in their respective constituencies.

In Raghopur, RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad Yadav is behind BJP’s Satish Kumar, who leads with 35,635 votes, maintaining a margin of 2,288 votes. Tejashwi has secured 33,347 votes, while Jan Suraaj Party’s Chanchal Kumar trails further with 1,160 votes as of Round 9/30.

In Mahua, the setback is even sharper for his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav, who is trailing significantly. LJP (Ram Vilas)’s Sanjay Kumar Singh is firmly in the lead with 34,541 votes, holding a massive margin of 14,543 votes. RJD’s Mukesh Kumar Raushan is in second place with 19,998 votes, followed by AIMIM’s Amit Kumar (9,564 votes) and Tej Pratap Yadav, contesting on a Janshakti Janta Dal ticket, who has 9,557 votes. Other candidates, including independent Ashma Parveen and BSP’s Rimjhim Devi, continue to trail with lower vote counts.

Tej Pratap’s steep decline after party split

Tej Pratap’s current electoral setback comes months after a dramatic fallout within the RJD. On May 25, RJD president Lalu Prasad expelled his eldest son for six years, citing “irresponsible behaviour” and deviation from “probity and family values.”

The decision followed a controversial Facebook post in which Tej Pratap allegedly spoke of a long personal relationship. He later claimed his account had been hacked and the photos edited to malign him.

Following his expulsion, Tej Pratap launched the Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) and on August 5 announced an alliance with five smaller Bihar-based parties.

A tale of two brothers

Counting day has unfolded as a contrasting story of the Yadav siblings:

• One brother attempting to build a new political identity after a family rift.
• The other continuing as the primary face of the opposition alliance.
• So far, the numbers indicate a steep uphill climb for Tej Pratap, while Tejashwi holds on to a fragile edge.

NDA widens lead statewide

Meanwhile, the NDA has surged to 202 seats, tightening its grip on the Bihar tally. The Mahagathbandhan and others together are leading in around 35 seats, far behind the dominant NDA bloc.