NEW DELHI: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial face, is locked in what looks like a losing contest in his family bastion, Raghopur. Trends from the Election Commission of India show a narrow fight, with Tejashwi polling 10,3387 votes, ahead of BJP’s Satish Kumar Yadav, who has secured 89,484 votes so far. Meanwhile, Jan Suraaj candidate Chanchal Kumar has received 2,628 votes, according to the ECI’s official update.Lalu family’s strongholdRaghopur has long been considered one of the safest seats for the Yadav family.Also read |NDA stuns Mahagathbandhan in Muslim dominated seats; JD(U) surges
Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi have both represented the constituency in the past.Tejashwi has held the seat since 2015, winning comfortably in 2015 and 2020.In the 2020 assembly elections, Tejashwi had secured a 38,000+ vote lead, reinforcing the region as an RJD fortress.Who is challenging Tejashwi in Raghopur?BJP’s Satish Kumar Yadav, the current frontrunner in early trends, has reintroduced a strong challenge in Raghopur. Yadav previously defeated Rabri Devi in the 2010 elections while contesting as a JD(U) candidate, and his return to the constituency under the BJP banner has significantly reshaped the contest, tightening what was once considered a safe RJD seat.According to the Election Commission of India’s update at 12:10pm, the JD(U) was leading in 75 seats, while the BJP was ahead of its ally with 87 seats. Together, the NDA was leading in over 180 constituencies, leaving the Mahagathbandhan far behind with 45 seats.Also read |Tej Pratap Yadav stares at defeat in Mahua; LJP(RV) takes lead in key seatWhat exit polls predictedMost exit polls predicted a comfortable victory for the NDA, with some projecting the Mahagathbandhan to win.Several exit polls suggested RJD could emerge as the single-largest party, especially because of Tejashwi’s personal popularity and strong rallies.JD(U) was predicted to underperform, with some polls projecting the party in third place behind BJP and RJD.
