Bihar polls: HAM's Deepa Kumari registers big win in Imamganj, defeats RJD candidate by over 25,000 votes

Imamganj (Bihar) [India], November 14 (ANI): The Imamganj Assembly constituency in Bihar delivered a decisive mandate in the 2025 assembly elections, with Deepa Kumari of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) securing a commanding victory.
Kumari got 1,04,861 votes, finishing 25,856 votes ahead of her nearest competitor, RJD's Ritu Priya Chaudhary.
Jitan Ram Manjhi's daughter-in-law, Deepa Kumari's main rival, Ritu Priya Chaudhary of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), secured 79,005 votes, whereas Dr. Ajeet Kumar of the Jan Suraaj Party finished with 11,912 votes.
The results, declared after 29 rounds of counting, reflected a one-sided contest, with all other candidates trailing by extremely large margins.
Once a Naxal-affected area, Imamganj has struggled with underdevelopment for decades. Located near the Bihar-Jharkhand border, it plays a vital role in transit and trade between the two states. The local economy primarily depends on agriculture, with major crops including rice, maize, wheat, and pulses.
Imamganj also holds historical significance as part of the ancient Magadha region, once the epicentre of early Indian civilisation. Its proximity to Bodh Gaya, one of the world's most revered Buddhist pilgrimage sites, further enhances its cultural significance.
While Naxal activities in South Bihar once posed significant challenges, the security situation has improved considerably in recent years. The constituency also has a substantial Muslim population, and with the seat reserved for Scheduled Castes, social dynamics play a decisive role in determining electoral outcomes.
Deepa Kumari, as the NDA candidate, represented the seat since 2024, when she won a by-election by a margin of 5,945 votes over RJD's Raushan Kumar after the seat was vacated by Jitan Ram Manjhi's move to national politics.
In the 2010 Bihar Assembly elections, Uday Narain Choudhary of the Janata Dal (United) defeated Raushan Kumar of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) by a narrow margin of 1,211 votes, securing 44,126 votes against Kumar's 42,915.
In 2015, Jitan Ram Manjhi, chief of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), registered a decisive victory, defeating Uday Narain Choudhary of the RJD by a margin of 29,408 votes. Manjhi polled 79,389 votes, while Choudhary received 49,981.
Manjhi successfully retained the seat in 2020, though his victory margin narrowed to 16,034 votes against the same opponent, Uday Narain Choudhary of the RJD.
Meanwhile, according to the Election Commission, as of now, the BJP has won 55 seats and is leading in 35. The JDU has won 33, LJP (RV) has won 7, and HAM has won 1.
The RJD has also won 8 seats and is leading on 17 others. The Congress has won 1, AIMIM 4, CPI (ML)(L) 1 and CPI(M) 1.
The NDA's performance in Bihar can be attributed to the strong show by major parties like the BJP and JD(U), with comprehensive support from Chirag Paswan's LJP(RV) and Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
It's worth noting that Bihar recorded a historic 67.13% voter turnout, the highest since 1951, with women voters outnumbering men (71.6% vs 62.8%). (ANI)