Before Bihar elections 2025, the contest on urban seats of Patna is interesting. In BJP’s strongholds Kumhrar, Bankipur and Patna Sahib, the Grand Alliance is challenging on the basis of caste equation. The equations have also changed due to change of candidate by BJP, due to which a tough contest is expected.
Patna: The political temperature of Patna is at a boil before the first phase of Bihar Assembly elections 2025. The urban areas of the capital Patna which till now were considered impregnable forts of BJP, this time the same seats are in the news due to the new strategy of the Grand Alliance and caste balance. Kumhrar, Bankipur and Patna Sahib, all three seats have traditionally been in the possession of BJP, but this time the situation seems different, the reason is that BJP has changed candidates in Patna Sahib and Kumhrar.
Kumhrar: Congress’s attack on BJP’s ‘safe seat’
Patna’s Kumhrar assembly seat has been considered a strong stronghold of BJP. The saffron wave continued here in the last three elections. In 2020, senior BJP leader Arun Sinha defeated RJD’s Dr. Dharmendra Kumar by about 21,000 votes. But this time the equations have completely changed.
This time BJP has given ticket to Sanjay Gupta of Vaishya community, away from Kayastha community. The Grand Alliance has taken a strategic decision and given this seat to Congress. Congress has fielded Inderjit Chandravanshi to maintain caste balance. Social engineering of alliance with Chandravanshi community, Yadav and Muslim votes can become a headache for BJP here. If this experiment of Congress is successful, then for the first time the contest on Kumhrar seat may be equal.
Bankipur: ‘Rekha Gupta’ knocks at Nitin Naveen’s fort
Bankipur seat has been under absolute rule of BJP for the last two decades. This seat has been not only political but also symbolic for BJP. In the 2020 elections, BJP’s Nitin Naveen defeated Congress candidate Luv Sinha by more than 25,000 votes. Both the candidates were from Kayastha community.
But this time the Grand Alliance has played a big bet here. RJD took this seat from Congress and, keeping in mind the caste equation, has fielded Rekha Gupta (Teli community). This time the contest has become direct and interesting with the possibility of Yadav and Muslim voters joining the Teli vote bank. At the same time, BJP has tried to retain its old vote bank by fielding Nitin Naveen again. But the opinion of women and business class in urban seats may prove to be decisive this time.
Patna Sahib: Equation changed due to removal of Nandkishore Yadav
Patna Sahib assembly seat has been the identity of BJP. Nandkishore Yadav, a several-time MLA and minister in the Bihar government, has been the face of politics here. But this time the party has not given him the ticket. This decision can reverse the political equation of this seat.
BJP has not yet declared a new candidate, while the Grand Alliance has put this seat in the account of Congress. Congress has fielded Shashank Shekhar Yadav from here, who is not only an educated candidate but also comes from a family with political heritage. His grandfather Ramlakhan Singh Yadav has contested elections from this seat thrice. If Yadav and Muslim voters unite then Congress can give a tough challenge to BJP on this seat. At the same time, there is confusion among BJP voters due to the absence of Nandkishore Yadav, which the opposition can take advantage of.
Ethnic math vs. urban credit
This time the Grand Alliance has given priority to caste equation on Patna seats. While BJP has relied on ‘urban faces’ and its traditional vote bank, the Grand Alliance has created a mix of caste and social balance in every seat which is creating a stir in Patna politics for the first time.
Vaishya versus Chandravanshi in Kumhrar, Kayastha versus Teli in Bankipur, and Yadav versus upper caste in Patna Sahib, different social forms of competition have developed at all three places. The objective of RJD and Congress is clear. To boost political morale by breaching BJP’s stronghold and winning at least two seats.
Will BJP’s fort really break?
This question is still unanswered, but it is certain that this election of 2025 can change the trend of Patna politics. While BJP has confidence in its old credentials and development work, the Grand Alliance has entered the field with full strength on the basis of caste and social balance. Kumhrar, Bankipur and Patna Sahib, these three seats will prove to be indicative of the political mood not only of Patna but of entire Bihar.