The Bihar Assembly Election results for 2025 have dealt a significant blow to Tejashwi Yadav and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). By 10:45 am on November 14, preliminary trends showed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising the BJP and JD(U), leading in over 185 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan, which includes the RJD, Congress, and Left parties, was projected to secure only around 54 seats.
This overwhelming defeat indicates that voters not only rejected the alliance but also largely dismissed its campaign efforts. In a concerning sign for the RJD, Tejashwi Yadav was lagging in his own constituency early on.
Several overarching strategic missteps contributed to this considerable setback for the Mahagathbandhan:
One of the major pitfalls was the RJD’s overemphasis on Yadav candidates. Fielding 52 Yadav candidates—a notable increase from the previous election—represented about 36% of their total candidates. This strategy aimed at consolidating their core Yadav vote base (about 14% of the population) inadvertently reinforced perceptions of casteism within the party and revived negative memories of “Yadav Raj” among voters.
Furthermore, this strong focus on Yadav candidates alienated vital non-Yadav votes, particularly among upper castes and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), who leaned towards the NDA. The BJP effectively propagated a counter-narrative of “RJD’s Yadav Raj,” appealing to middle-class and urban voters.
Another critical error was Tejashwi’s approach to alliance partners like Congress and the Left, which involved undermining their shared status. Disputes over seat-sharing and a perception of RJD’s dominance resulted in internal tensions that hampered vote transfers among the partners. Tejashwi’s branding of the coalition’s manifesto as “Tejashwi’s Pledge” and the overshadowing of his allies in campaign materials diminished unity and made the NDA seem like a more coherent opposition.
Tejashwi’s populist campaign promises, which included providing a government job for every household, pension schemes, and revisiting the liquor ban, lacked solid execution plans, leading to voter skepticism. His repeated delays in presenting a plan for these ambitious promises caused distrust among potential voters, who began to perceive them as unattainable.
The Mahagathbandhan’s perceived “Muslim-first” image, amplified by opposition narratives, also proved detrimental. Although some consolidation of Muslim votes occurred in select regions, the overall effect was a backlash, reaching even parts of the Yadav community. Tejashwi’s stance on not implementing the Waqf Bill was leveraged by the BJP, drawing on previous statements by Lalu Prasad Yadav and polarizing voters further against the alliance.
Additionally, Tejashwi’s attempts to navigate the complex legacy of his father, Lalu Prasad Yadav, resulted in a muddled approach. While he embraced Lalu’s social justice agenda, he simultaneously sought to minimize his father’s “Jungle Raj” image, which the NDA rhetorically attacked, emphasizing Tejashwi’s perceived efforts to distance himself from his father’s past.
As the dust settles from this election, the results serve as a bitter reminder for the Mahagathbandhan, signaling an urgent need for strategic reevaluation and a more unified front if they hope to challenge the NDA in future elections.