Araria set for triangular clash: Congress' Abidur Rehman looks to retain seat, JD(U) fields Shagufta Azim; ex-IPS Lande in fray

Patna (Bihar) [India], November 9 (ANI): All eyes are on the Araria Assembly constituency as the district prepares for polling in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. The seat, a key battleground, will witness a key contest between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan (MGB) on November 11.
Araria, which falls under the Araria Lok Sabha Constituency and comprises six assembly segments, will witness a direct contest in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Abidur Rahman of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will represent the Mahagathbandhan (MGB), while Shagufta Azim of the Janata Dal (United) will contest on behalf of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Famed former IPS officer Shivdeep Lande is also contesting from the seat as an Independent candidate.
Additionally, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) is entering the fray with MD Manzoor Alam as its candidate, adding a new dimension to the electoral dynamics.
Araria, a general category seat, has historically seen intense contests between the Congress and the BJP.
In the past, the constituency was represented by Zakir Hussain Khan of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in 2010. Abidur Rahman of Congress secured victory in 2015 with a 14 per cent margin and retained it in 2020 with an increased 26.10 per cent margin. This year, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan (MGB) are expected to fiercely contest the seat, reflecting wider political trends in Bihar.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP's Pradeep Kumar Singh snatched the Araria parliamentary seat by a margin of roughly 20,000 votes.
That single shift put a red circle on the constituency for every poll strategist in Patna.
The second phase of polling in Araria district will also cover five other constituencies: Narpatganj, Raniganj (SC), Forbesgan,j Jokihat, and Sikti setting the stage for a high-stakes contest between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan.
The Araria constituency, numbered 49 in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, is a general seat without reserved seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The first phase of the Bihar elections, which saw a record voter turnout of 65.08 per cent, marked the highest polling percentage in the state's history.
Elections for 122 assembly seats are scheduled on November 11. The results of the Bihar Assembly elections are slated to be announced on November 14. (ANI)