Bihar elections: Kutumba assembly seat to witness close contest between Congress, Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM

Aurangabad (Bihar) [India], November 9 (ANI): The second phase of the 2025 Bihar assembly elections is set to commence on November 11 with a close contest in the Kutumba assembly constituency between Congress and Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) or HAMS, which is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The Kutumba assembly constituency is a reserved SC seat in the Aurangabad district of Bihar. It has remained a stronghold for Congress, with the party's Bihar unit, led by Rajesh Ram, winning the assembly polls consecutively in 2015 and 2020.
It was supposed to be a "friendly fight" between Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress, after Lalu Prasad Yadav's party fielded former Bihar Minister Suresh Paswan from Kutumba against Congress' Rajesh Ram.
However, in an attempt to narrow the rift, RJD withdrew its candidate from the contest in the Kutumba assembly constituency.
Rajesh Ram remains an important figure in Kutumba, with a track record of winning twice from the reserved assembly seat. He is contesting the polls against HAMS' Lalan Ram and Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) candidate Shyambali Ram.
In Kutumba, Lalan Ram of HAMS remains a hurdle for Congress' Rajesh Ram since the former won the assembly seat in 2010 on a Janata Dal (United) ticket.
In 2010, Lalan Ram won with a margin of 13,910 votes against RJD's Suresh Paswan. Ram received 42,559 votes while Paswan got 28,649 votes. Ram, on the JD(U) ticket, won with a margin of 14.90 per cent.
In 2015, Rajesh Ram from the Congress ticket won the elections with a margin of 8.40 per cent against Santosh Suman Manjhi of HAM, who received 41,205 votes. Ram had won by 10,098 votes.
In 2020, Rajesh Ram's winning margin increased to 12.20 per cent. He had contested the elections against Sharwan Bhuinya of HAM and won by a margin of 16,653. Ram received 50,822 votes while Bhuinya received 34,169 votes.
The voting for the first phase of the 2025 assembly elections in Bihar concluded on November 6 across 121 constituencies in 18 districts of the state's 243 seats, with approximately 3.75 crore electors casting their ballots.
According to the Election Commission, there are 10.72 lakh 'new electors' and 7.78 lakh voters are in the age group of 18-19 years. The total population of these constituencies, as stated by the Election Commission, is 6.60 crore. A total of 122 women candidates are in the fray in the first phase of the polls.
The remaining 122 constituencies will vote in the second phase on November 11. Counting will take place on November 14.
In the 2020 Bihar assembly elections, polling took place in three phases. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured 125 seats, while the opposition Mahagathbandhan won 110. Among the major parties, the Janata Dal (United) secured 43 seats, while the Congress secured 19. The JD(U) contested 115 constituencies, the BJP 110, whereas the RJD contested 144 seats and the Congress 70. (ANI)