RJD's winning streak in Sasaram faces test as NDA fields Upendra Kushwaha's wife

Sasaram (Bihar) [India], November 9 (ANI): The Sasaram Assembly constituency in Rohtas district is set for a high-stakes contest in the 2025 Bihar elections, with the main competition between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan (MGB).
Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha's wife, Snehlata Kushwaha, is contesting from Sasaram as the NDA candidate, while Satendra Sah of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is representing the Mahagathbandhan. From Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj party, Binay Kumar Singh has also entered the fray.
In 2010, Jawahar Prasad of the BJP won the seat. The 2015 election saw Ashok Kumar from the RJD secure victory with a 3.70% margin, ending the BJP's hold. RJD strengthened its position further in 2020, when Rajesh Kumar Gupta won with an increased 11.30% margin, marking the party's second consecutive win from the constituency.
This time, however, the MGB candidate Satendra Sah's campaign has hit turbulence following his arrest shortly after filing nomination papers on charges of dacoity. According to Rohtas district police officials, Sah was arrested by Jharkhand Police as a non-bailable warrant was pending against him.
The 2025 Bihar Elections are having the main contest between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan (MGB). The NDA includes the Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM).
The Mahagathbandhan, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal, includes the Congress party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML) led by Dipankar Bhattacharya, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP). Additionally, Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj has also staked claims on all 243 seats of the state.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the first phase of the assembly elections in Bihar concluded peacefully with a record voter turnout of 65.08 per cent, the highest-ever in the state's history in assembly polls.
The voting was held on 121 seats spread across 18 districts, and a total of 3.75 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase of polls. The second phase of assembly polls will be held on November 11, and the votes will be counted on November 14.
The first phase decided the fate of several senior leaders, including RJD's Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Mangal Pandey and JD(U)'s Shravan Kumar and Vijay Kumar Choudhary. Tej Pratap Yadav is also in the fray in the first phase.
In 2020, polling took place in three phases. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had secured 125 seats, while the opposition Mahagathbandhan (MGB) won 110.
Among the major parties, the Janata Dal (United) secured 43 seats, the BJP secured 74, the RJD secured 75 seats, and the Congress secured 19. The JD(U) contested 115 constituencies, the BJP 110, whereas the RJD contested 144 seats and the Congress 70. (ANI)