With months left for the Bihar assembly elections, former minister Tej Pratap Yadav’s move to form a new coalition is likely to dent the RJD vote banks, according to reports. Tej Pratap, the elder son of Lalu Prasad Yadav, was ousted from RJD citing “irresponsible behaviour” in May.
Tej Pratap Yadav on Tuesday announced the formation of a coalition of five minor parties, which include the Vikas Vanchit Insaan Party (VVIP), Bhojpuriya Jan Morcha (BJM), Pragatisheel Janta Party (PJP), Wajib Adhikar Party (WAP), and Sanyukt Kisan Vikas Party (SKVP). The MLA from Hasanpur said he will contest from Mahua, which he represented till 2020.
Speculations are that Tej Pratap’s new front could contest in all 243 seats. If so, it could eat into a small chunk of RJD votes, as both Tej Pratap and RJD have Yadav-Muslim votes as their vote base. Considering that the RJD lost or won many seats by a thin margin of votes in the 2020 Assembly Elections, Tej Pratap’s entry could pose a problem for RJD. For instance, in Dehri, RJD candidate Fateh Bahadur Singh won by securing 63,802 votes, defeating BJP candidate Satya Narayan Singh by just 81 votes. Anil Kumar Sahni won Kurhani by 480 votes, while Simi Bakhtiyarpur candidate Yusuf Salahuddin won his seat by 1474 votes.
Yeh Confidence Muze Bhi Chahiye 😂
— BhikuMhatre (@MumbaichaDon) August 6, 2025
Tej Pratap Yadav forms alliance with 5 parties, including Vikas Vanchit Insaan Party, Bhojpuriya Jan Morcha.
He says, "...I invite RJD and CONgress to join our alliance. If they want to join, they can join..."
Gazab Beizzati Hai, Yaar 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/2vwhkK4Vqm
As for losses, JD (U) candidate Maheshwar Hazari won the Kalyanpur seat by securing 72,237 votes, defeating RJD candidate Manoj Kumar Yadav by a shocking margin of one vote. JD (U) candidate Krishnamurari Sharan (alias Prem Mukhiya) won the Hilsa seat by securing 61,616 votes, defeating RJD by just 13 votes.
Tej Pratap Yadav, who is still upset at the way he was treated, could field candidates with an aim of splitting RJD, more than winning the seat. This will directly benefit the NDA alliance of BJP-JDU, which is hoping to retain the seat.
Tej Pratap has also extended an open invitation for RJD leaders and workers to join his coalition. This strategy could also add to the infighting within the RJD as there is already discontentment within the cadres and leaders with regard to seat sharing. If he manages to rope in at least a few who were denied seats, this could land RJD in a fix.
Also read
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- Tejashwi Yadav’s chief ministerial dreams shattered: What it means to RJD, Bihar Grand Alliance
- Bihar Assembly election results 2025: Lalu Yadav’s son Tej Pratap Yadav trails far behind in Mahua
That said, Tej Pratap’s political strategy is full of flaws. Without a strong organisation and clear strategy, Tej Pratap’s political move is risky and reminiscent of another Bihar leader Upendra Kushwaha’s formation of a new party.
Tej Pratap’s strategy of wooing the Nishad community by allying with Nishad leader Pradeep Nishad's VVIP party could also backfire, considering that Pradeep Nishad himself is a turncoat. He was with Mukesh Sahni’s Vikasheel Insaan Party but deserted him to form his own party. Though the Nishad community in Bihar, which is 14 per cent of the vote bank, plays a decisive role in many seats, Sahni still remains an influential leader in the party.
