As Bihar gears up for the second phase of Assembly elections on November 11, key candidates across 122 seats prepare for a decisive battle. Here’s a detailed look at the major contenders, their constituencies, and what’s at stake.
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The first phase of voting for 121 assembly seats in Bihar concluded on November 6, 2025. The polls made history with a record-breaking 64.66% voter turnout, the highest since 1951. But the real excitement is only beginning now. All eyes now turn to November 11 when voters in 122 constituencies will cast their ballots in the high-stakes second phase of elections. (Also Read: Bihar Election 2025: Full list of 122 constituencies voting in phase 2 on November 11)
The political battlefield is heating up. Veteran ministers are locked in tough fights and there are fresh faces are challenging the status quo. Even celebrities have entered the fray.
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Here’s a closer look at the key candidates who are capturing attention and shaping the political drama.
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Sumit Kumar Singh is currently serving as Bihar’s Minister of Science and Technology. He is once again contesting from Chakai constituency, this time as a JD(U) candidate under the NDA alliance.
His political journey has seen a number of turns. In 2010, Sumit won as a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate, and in 2020, he surprised everyone by winning as an Independent. Now he’s back with JD(U).
The constituency has witnessed a pattern of alternating victories. In 2005, BJP’s Phalguni Prasad Yadav won. In 2010, Sumit Singh took the seat. In 2015, Phalguni’s wife Savitri Devi emerged victorious. Then in 2020, Sumit returned to power. The seat seems to change hands every election.
Chakai has a significant Santhal tribal population, and one name that keeps appearing on the ballot is Alijaveth (Elizabeth) Soren. Though she has not yet won, she commands a loyal tribal vote base.
This time, there’s also talk about Chandan Kumar Singh, a local philanthropist known for helping with education and marriages of poor youth through his foundation. Initially rumored to be aligned with Chirag Paswan, he is now contesting independently.
Shreyasi Singh, a gold medalist in shooting, has quickly made her mark in politics. Representing Jamui constituency, she is seeking re-election on a BJP ticket.
Shreyasi is not just an athlete but also comes from a politically powerful family. Her grandfather Kumar Surender Singh and father Digvijay Singh both headed the National Rifle Association of India at different times. Her mother Putul Kumari has also served as an MP from Banka.
In the 2020 Bihar Assembly election, Shreyasi won the Jamui seat by defeating RJD’s Vijay Prakash, a former minister, by a margin of over 41,000 votes. This time, the Mahagathbandhan has fielded Mohammad Shamsad Alam against her.
Among all the candidates contesting in the second phase, Ran Kaushal Pratap Singh of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) stands out for his staggering wealth. Yes, he is the richest candidate in Bihar. He is contesting from Paschim Champaran’s Lauriya constituency.
According to the ADR report, he has declared assets worth ₹368.98 crore, making him the richest candidate in this election. His wife, Saloni Singh, has shown assets of ₹131 crore.
Ran Kaushal owns ₹2.58 crore worth of agricultural land and an additional ₹352 crore in non-agricultural land. He has investments of ₹5.51 crore in shares and securities. His wife has reported ₹6.59 crore in investments.
Their collection of luxury cars comprise two Toyota Fortuners, an Audi, an Innova, and several others making a total of seven vehicles. Their jewellery collection includes 3.4 kg of gold and diamonds. The couple even possesses foreign-made weapons, according to the declaration.
Dhirendra Agrawal, once a three-time MP from Chatra, is contesting from Gaya Town as a candidate of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party. His entry has shaken up local politics, as he is taking on BJP veteran Prem Kumar, who has represented Gaya eight times in a row.
Agrawal has a deep political lineage. His father Daya Prakash was the former RSS chief of South Bihar. By choosing Agrawal, Prashant Kishor seems to be signaling that Jan Suraaj wants to position itself as a serious alternative to both NDA and Mahagathbandhan. The Congress has fielded Mohan Srivastava, the former Deputy Mayor of Gaya city.
Jan Suraaj has also placed bets on other ex-NDA leaders: Sanjiv Shyam Singh, a two-term MLC, is contesting from Gurua, while Laxman Manjhi (earlier with HAM-S) is fighting from Bodh Gaya, and Shashi Yadav, who also quit HAM-S, is contesting from Tekari. Gaya district, therefore, has become a major testing ground for Prashant Kishor’s political experiment.
From Phulparas constituency in Madhubani, Sheela Mandal of JD(U) is again in the spotlight. Currently the Minister for Transport and Communication, she is known for her strong grassroots presence. (Also Read: Nitish Kumar should resign and retire from public life: Tejashwi)
In 2020, she faced criticism for her remarks comparing Veer Kunwar Singh and Ramphal Mandal, two freedom fighters. She noted that Kunwar Singh, being from the Rajput caste, received greater national recognition, whereas Ramphal Mandal, from an Extremely Backward Caste, did not get equal honour despite his sacrifices.
The comment had sparked backlash from upper caste groups but also opened a discussion about representation and caste balance in Bihar’s freedom history.
Jayant Raj Kushwaha, Minister of Rural Work, represents the Amarpur constituency in Banka district. A member of JD(U), he is one of the younger faces in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet.
In 2020, he won by defeating Congress candidate Jitendra Singh, securing 33.13% of votes, just ahead of Singh’s 31.23%.
Jayant Raj is the son of former MLA Janardan Manjhi, who earlier represented the same constituency. Educated in BBA from Marwari College, Bhagalpur, he entered politics with energy and loyalty to Nitish Kumar.
Despite being a first-time MLA, he was appointed as a minister. When BJP MLAs questioned his performance, Nitish publicly defended him.
Leshi Singh, one of the most senior members of JD(U), is seeking another term from Dhamdaha in Purnia district. A five-time MLA, she currently serves as Food and Consumer Protection Minister.
She first entered the assembly in 2000, and since then, she has won every election except one short gap. In 2020, she won by a margin of around 34,000 votes. She earlier headed the Bihar State Women Commission and is also known for her social initiatives.
She is the wife of late Butan Singh, a former district chief of the Samata Party and a man with a controversial past. But politically, Leshi Singh remains steady and respected in her region.
Famous Bhojpuri singer and actor Ritesh Pandey is contesting from Kargahar constituency in Rohtas as a Jan Suraaj Party candidate. Pandey became a household name through films like ‘Balma Bihar Wala’ and Tohre Me Basela Pran. His song “Hello Kaun” became a sensation. (Also Read: Ritesh Pandey aka ‘Bhojpuriya rockstar’ to contest Bihar polls from PK’s home turf)
On October 9, 2025, Jan Suraaj surprised everyone by announcing Ritesh as its candidate from Kargahar, a seat many believed Prashant Kishor himself would contest from.
Neeraj Kumar Singh, popularly known as Bablu, is the BJP MLA from Chhatapur and currently serves as Minister of Environment and Forest in Bihar.
Bablu is also known for being the cousin of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. After Sushant’s death in 2020, Bablu became active in demanding ‘justice’ and vilifying Rhea Chakraborty, which raised his national visibility in the local and national media.
Now, he is again contesting from Chhatapur under BJP.
Renu Devi, currently Bihar’s Minister for Animal and Fisheries Resources, has had a long political career. She earlier served as Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar from November 2020 to August 2022, making her the fifth woman Deputy CM in India.
She has represented Bettiah multiple times. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself campaigned in her constituency this time.
Renu Devi’s mother was active in the Sangh Parivar, which shaped her early ideological grounding. She began her political journey through social activism in 1981, joined BJP Mahila Morcha in 1988, and soon rose to leadership positions.
Though she lost her first election in 1995, she went on to win four times from Bettiah in 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2020, losing only once in 2015. She has also held roles such as Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture (2005–2009) and BJP National Vice-President (2014–2020).
Sunil Kumar Pintu, once with JD(U) and now with BJP, is contesting from Sitamarhi constituency. A former MP and four-time MLA, he is also the President of Shri Bhagwati Sita Tirtha Kshetra Samiti.
During his campaign this time, a private video allegedly linked to him has gone viral on social media. The opposition has made it a talking point, while the BJP calls it a political conspiracy.
The clip is said to be around two years old, and Pintu claims it’s a recycled attempt by rivals to damage his image. “It’s the same video that was circulated earlier. This is the opposition’s old trick,” he said.
Despite the controversy, the BJP is standing firmly behind him. Home Minister Amit Shah himself campaigned for Pintu.
Mohammad Zama Khan, the sitting MLA from Chainpur in Kaimur (Bhabua) district, has had a dramatic political journey. In 2020, he won the seat on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket with a margin of nearly 35,000 votes. Later, he joined JD(U) and became Minister of Minority Affairs in the Nitish Kumar cabinet.
Zama Khan once faced strong protests from sections of the Muslim community in Bhabua city. His convoy was surrounded by demonstrators shouting slogans like “Zama Khan Murdabad,” accusing him of not defending minority interests.
The protest was led by Mohammad Hanif Khan, the AIMIM district president, who said, “The new Waqf Bill has hurt the community, and Zama Khan, as Minority Welfare Minister, has failed to take a stand.”
This round will not just decide 122 assembly seats but will also reveal how the Nitish-led NDA, the Mahagathbandhan, and the newly emerging Jan Suraaj are being perceived by voters across regions.
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