The CPI(ML) Liberation was the party to register the highest strike rate when Bihar went to polls in 2020. Contesting in 19 seats as part of the Mahagathbandhan, they won 12 seats and retained their relevance in the state's largely caste-influenced political landscape. The CPI and CPI(M), the other two Left parties in the Opposition alliance, had won two seats each. However, the story is an entirely different one this time around with all Mahagatbandhan parties including the CPI(ML) Liberation struggling across the state. The party was only leading in two seats as the countings have progressed.
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CPI(ML) had asked all its 12 MLAs to seek the people's mandate once again from their existing seats. A few fresh faces, including Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) president Dhananjay, were also fielded. Dhananjay led the JNUSU as an All India Students’ Association (AISA) representative — the student wing of the CPI(ML). A native of Gaya, the Dalit leader is currently a PhD student in theatre studies at JNU.
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"At a time when there is little transparency and accountability in politics, we are trying to institutionalise both," General Secretary, CPI(ML) Liberation Dipankar Bhattacharya had told THE WEEK in the run-up to the election. Following the first phase of polling, Bhattacharya had said that the high voter turnout in the first phase was evidence of an anti-incumbency factor among voters. They are voting against the government, and the Mahagathbandhan was on course to win 140–150 seats, he had said.
BIHAR ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 2025: CLICK HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES
While Bhore, Ziradei, Darauli, Daraunda, Kalyanpur, Warisnagar, Rajgir, Digha, Phulwari, Paliganj, Arrah, Agiaon, Tarari, and Dumraon seats went to polls in the first phase of the elections, Sikta, Pipra, Supaul, Balrampur, Karakat, Arwal, and Ghosi were part of the second phase. Here is how Bihar's biggest communist party fared in the 2025 Assembly elections.
S. No. |
Seat |
Candidate |
Win/Loss |
Margin |
1 |
Bhore (SC) |
Dhananjay |
Lost |
16,163 |
2 |
Ziradei |
Amarjeet Kushwaha |
Lost |
2,626 |
3 |
Darauli (SC) |
Satyadeo Ram |
Lost |
9,572 |
4 |
Daraunda |
Amarnath Yadav |
Lost |
18,367 |
5 |
Kalyanpur (SC) |
Ranjeet Kumar Ram |
Lost |
38,586 |
6 |
Warisnagar |
Phoolbabu Singh |
Lost |
34,436 |
7 |
Rajgir (SC) |
Bishwanath Chaudhary |
Lost |
55,428 |
8 |
Digha |
Divya Gautam |
Lost |
59,079 |
9 |
Phulwari (SC) |
Gopal Ravi Das |
Lost |
32,657 |
10 |
Paliganj |
Sandeep Saurav |
WON |
6,655 |
11 |
Sikta |
Birendra Prasad Gupta |
Lost |
59,742 |
12 |
Pipra (Supaul) |
Anil Kumar |
Lost |
37,776 |
13 |
Balrampur |
Mahboob Alam |
Lost |
1,318 |
14 |
Arrah |
Quyamuddin Ansari |
Lost |
19,581 |
15 |
Agiaon (SC) |
Shiv Prakash Ranjan |
Lost |
95 |
16 |
Tarari |
Madan Singh |
Lost |
11,464 |
17 |
Dumraon |
Ajit Kumar Singh |
Lost |
2,105 |
18 |
Karakat |
Arun Singh |
WON |
2,836 |
19 |
Arwal |
Mahanand Singh |
Lost |
14,093 |
20 |
Ghosi |
Ram Bali Singh Yadav |
Lost |
11,929 |