The political prestige of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s two sons Tejaswi Prasad Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav is at stake as Vaishali district is slated for polls in the first phase of the Bihar Assembly Elections on November 6.

As Vaishali district which has eight assembly constituencies, Raghopur, Mahua, Vaishali, Hajipur, Rajapakar (SC), Patepur (SC), Mahnar, and Lalganj, prepares for an electoral showdown, the spotlight will remain on the Yadav brothers, Tejaswi, battling to retain the family bastion of Raghopur and strengthen his claim to Bihar’s top post, and Tej Pratap, aiming to reclaim his lost ground in Mahua and revive his individual political standing.

Currently, BJP holds Hajipur, Lalganj and Patepur; JD(U) controls Vaishali. RJD dominates Raghopur, Mahua and Mahnar, while Congress holds Rajapakar.

Raghopur, known as the Lalu family’s bastion, is set for an intense triangular contest between RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and BJP’s Satish Kumar Yadav, marking their third consecutive electoral face-off.

In a surprising development, Tejaswi’s elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav has fielded a candidate, Prem Kumar, from Jan Shakti Janata Dal, a move seen as a potential spoiler for his younger brother.

Tejaswi entered politics from Raghopur in 2015 after quitting cricket and won by a margin of 22,733 votes against BJP’s Satish Kumar Yadav. In 2020, he retained the seat with an even larger margin of 38,174 votes. The constituency has a long-standing association with the Lalu family as Lalu Prasad Yadav won here in 1995 and 2000, while Rabri Devi triumphed in 2005 elections. However, in 2010, JD(U)’s Satish Kumar Yadav broke the family’s winning streak by defeating Rabri Devi.

Raghopur, which has never witnessed a BJP victory, will again be watched closely as Tejaswi seeks a third straight win to reinforce his leadership credentials ahead of his chief ministerial bid.

Thirteen candidates are in the fray from this seat.

Former Minister and Hasanpur MLA Tej Pratap Yadav is returning to his original constituency, Mahua, where he made his electoral debut in 2015. That year, he won by a margin of 28,155 votes over Hindustani Awam Morcha’s Ravindra Rai and went on to serve as Bihar’s Health Minister in the Grand Alliance government.

In 2020, Tej Pratap shifted to Hasanpur and defeated JD(U)’s Rajkumar Rai by 21,139 votes. Later, he served as Environment and Forest Minister after Nitish Kumar rejoined the Mahagathbandhan in 2022. This time, Tej Pratap faces a multi-cornered contest in Mahua. RJD has fielded sitting MLA Mukesh Roshan, while the NDA’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has nominated Sanjay Kumar Singh. Independent candidate Dr. Asma Parveen, daughter of former minister Ilyas Hussain, has also entered the race, making the contest triangular. Fifteen candidates are contesting from this seat.

The Mahua constituency holds special significance for Tej Pratap as it marks his political starting point. For him, this election is not only about reclaiming lost ground but also about reaffirming his political relevance after internal rifts within the RJD.

The Hajipur Assembly segment remains a BJP stronghold. The saffron party first captured it in 2000 when Nityanand Rai defeated the socialists, and it has remained with the BJP ever since. This time, BJP’s Awadhesh Singh seeks another win, while RJD has fielded Dev Kumar Chaurasia, a founding member of the Samata Party. Twelve candidates are contesting the seat.

In Mahnar, JD(U) State President Umesh Singh Kushwaha is contesting against RJD’s Ravindra Kumar Singh. In the 2020 election, RJD’s Veena Devi, wife of former MP Ramakishore Singh, defeated Kushwaha. However, she has not been given a ticket this time. Eighteen candidates are in the fray, making the contest competitive.

In Lalganj, BJP has reposed faith in its sitting MLA Sanjay Kumar Singh, while RJD has fielded Shivani Shukla, daughter of former strongman and MLA Vijay Kumar Shukla alias Munna Shukla. The Shukla family held sway over this seat between 2000 and 2010. Ten candidates are contesting from this constituency.

In Vaishali constituency, JD(U) has renominated sitting MLA Siddharth Patel, while RJD has fielded Ajay Kushwaha. Congress has put forward Sanjeev Singh, complicating matters for RJD. Veteran leader and Former Minister Vrishan Patel, contesting as an independent, is expected to play spoiler. Thirteen candidates are in the race.

In Patepur (SC), BJP MLA Lakhendra Kumar Raushan is seeking a second consecutive term, facing RJD’s Prema Chaudhary. In 2020, Raushan defeated RJD’s former minister Shivchandra Ram. Ten candidates are contesting from this seat.

At Rajapakar, Congress has again fielded sitting MLA Pratima Kumari Das, a relative of former Chief Minister Ram Sundar Das, against JD(U)’s Mahendra Ram. In 2020, Pratima Das had defeated Mahendra Ram, while LJP candidate Dhananjay Kumar (son-in-law of late Ram Vilas Paswan) came third. This time, CPI’s Mohit Paswan has entered the race, potentially cutting into Congress’s vote base. Fourteen candidates are in the fray.