Bihar Assembly Elections Phase 1: Seats, Key Candidates, Constituencies — All You Need To Know

The 2025 Bihar Assembly election kicked off today (Nov. 6), with polling opening at 7 a.m. for the first phase. The second and final phase will be held on Nov. 11. Counting of votes for all 243 assembly seats in Bihar will take place on Nov. 14.

In the first phase today, voters will decide the fate of candidates across 121 constituencies in 18 districts. The election is shaping up to be a crucial test of the opposition Mahagathbandhan’s strength against the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is looking to retain power.

The key issues at play range from development and governance to law and order, placing Nitish Kumar’s track record under scrutiny against Mahagathbandhan’s Chief Ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav’s pitch for social justice and change.

Adding another layer to the contest is Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party, which is positioning itself as a potential disruptor in Bihar’s political landscape.

The Bihar Assembly polls will feature a direct contest between two major alliances: the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. The NDA comprises the BJP, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha.

Opposing them is the Mahagathbandhan, which brings together the Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and a bloc of Left parties, including the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation [CPIML (Liberation)] and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)].

Out of the total 243 assembly seats in Bihar, 203 are unreserved, 38 are earmarked for Scheduled Castes and two are set aside for Scheduled Tribes.

More than 7.43 crore people have been registered to vote in the Bihar Assembly elections, including around 14 lakh first-time voters.

In the first phase of voting, a total of 1,314 candidates are in the electoral fray, including several high-profile names such as Deputy Chief Ministers, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, along with RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav.

The first phase of the electoral battle in the state also features several political heavyweights. Tej Pratap Yadav, who has charted a separate course from his brother Tejashwi, is contesting in this phase. JD(U)’s state chief Umesh Kushwaha and RJD’s Bhola Yadav are also in the running.

Adding a touch of star power, Bhojpuri actor Khesari Lal Yadav is also in the fray as an RJD candidate, while popular folk singer Maithili Thakur is contesting on a BJP ticket.

Competition varies sharply across constituencies. Muzaffarpur and Kurhani have the highest candidate count, with 20 names on each list, while Alauli and Parbatta have just five contenders each. Patna alone accounts for 149 candidates.

As Bihar heads into the first phase of Assembly polls, several constituencies have emerged as political flashpoints, not just for their electoral history, but for the heavyweight candidates locked in fiercely competitive battles.

In Tarapur, traditionally a JD(U) stronghold, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary of the BJP is pitted against RJD’s Arun Kumar, in a constituency influenced by Kushwaha, Yadav, Muslim and Scheduled Caste voters.

Raghopur remains one of the most closely tracked seats, long linked to the Lalu Prasad Yadav family. Tejashwi Yadav, MLA since 2015, is defending his stronghold against BJP’s Satish Kumar Yadav and Jan Suraaj Party candidate

In Mahua, Tej Pratap Yadav returns to the constituency he first won in 2015, setting up a triangular contest shaped by family rivalry and shifting alliances. Tej Pratap, now with the Janshakti Janata Dal, and Sanjay Singh of Chirag Paswan’s LJP make the battle unpredictable.

In Alinagar, the BJP has fielded playback singer Maithili Thakur. She is up against RJD’s Vinod Mishra.

In Hasanpur, JD(U) minister Raj Kumar Ray attempts a comeback against RJD’s Mala Pushpam. The seat was once held by Tej Pratap Yadav.

1. Alamnagar

2. Bihariganj

3. Singheshwar (SC)

4. Madhepura

5. Sonbarsha (SC)

6. Saharsa

7. Simri Bakhtiarpur

8. Mahishi

9. Kusheshwar Asthan (SC)

10. Gaura Bauram

11. Benipur

12. Alinagar

13. Darbhanga Rural

14. Darbhanga

15. Hayaghat

16. Bahadurpur

17. Keoti

18. Jale

19. Gaighat

20. Aurai

21. Minapur

22. Bochahan (SC)

23. Sakra (SC)

24. Kurhani

25. Muzaffarpur

26. Kanti

27. Baruraj

28. Paroo

29. Sahebganj

30. Baikunthpur

31. Barauli

32. Gopalganj

33. Kuchaikote

34. Bhore (SC)

35. Hathua

36. Siwan

37. Ziradei

38. Darauli (SC)

39. Raghunathpur

40. Daraunda

41. Barharia

42. Goriakothi

43. Maharajganj

44. Ekma

45. Manjhi

46. Baniapur

47. Taraiya

48. Marhaura

49. Chapra

50. Garkha (SC)

51. Amnour

52. Parsa

53. Sonepur

54. Hajipur

55. Lalganj

56. Vaishali

57. Mahua

58. Raja Pakar (SC)

59. Raghopur

60. Mahnar

61. Patepur (SC)

62. Kalyanpur (SC)

63. Warisnagar

64. Samastipur

65. Ujiarpur

66. Morwa

67. Sarairanjan

68. Mohiuddinnagar

69. Bibhutipur

70. Rosera (SC)

71. Hasanpur

72. Cheria-Bariarpur

73. Bachhwara

74. Teghra

75. Matihani

76. Sahebpur Kamal

77. Begusarai

78. Bakhri (SC)

79. Alauli (SC)

80. Khagaria

81. Beldaur

82. Parbatta

83. Tarapur

84. Munger

85. Jamalpur

86. Suryagarha

87. Lakhisarai

88. Sheikhpura

89. Barbigha

90. Asthawan

91. Biharsharif

92. Rajgir (SC)

93. Islampur

94. Hilsa

95. Nalanda

96. Harnaut

97. Mokama

98. Barh

99. Bakhtiarpur

100. Digha

101. Bankipur

102. Kumhrar

103. Patna Sahib

104. Fatuha

105. Danapur

106. Maner

107. Phulwari (SC)

108. Masaurhi (SC)

109. Paliganj

110. Bikram

111. Sandesh

112. Barhara

113. Arrah

114. Agiaon (SC)

115. Tarari

116. Jagdishpur

117. Shahpur

118. Brahampur

119. Buxar

120. Dumraon

121. Rajpur (SC)