Tejashwi Yadav Triumphs in Raghopur Amid Dramatic Vote Count

A Rocky Start to a Triumphant Day

Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial candidate, emerged victorious in the Raghopur assembly seat, defeating Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contender Satish Kumar by over 14,500 votes. While the final margin suggests a comfortable win, the day of counting was anything but smooth for the RJD leader.

The day began on a high note for Yadav, who confidently declared, “We are going to win. A change is about to come.” Yet, the early optimism was met with a series of unpredictable swings in vote trends, making it a nail-biting experience for both candidates and their supporters.

A Rollercoaster Counting Experience

The contest in Raghopur was closely fought, reflecting the BJP’s robust challenge. Within the first 20 minutes of counting, Yadav held a narrow lead of 893 votes. However, by 11 am, the tide shifted in favor of Satish Kumar, who surged ahead by 1,273 votes.

Throughout the day, the lead fluctuated repeatedly. Yadav briefly regained a 219-vote advantage, only to fall behind again. By early afternoon, the RJD leader trailed by 2,288 votes, and the downward trend continued, with gaps widening to over 4,000, then 7,000, and at one point exceeding 9,000 votes just before 4 pm.

The dramatic turnaround began around 4:30 pm when Yadav reversed the trend, taking a lead of over 11,000 votes. Momentum carried through the final rounds of counting, and after 29 out of 31 rounds, Yadav maintained a decisive lead of 13,880 votes, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Raghopur: A Lalu Yadav Stronghold

Raghopur has long been a bastion of the Lalu Yadav family. Tejashwi, the current MLA and opposition leader in the Bihar Assembly, had previously defeated Satish Kumar in both 2015 and 2020, consolidating his influence in the constituency.

Historically, the seat has been dominated by the Lalu family. Lalu Prasad Yadav won Raghopur in 1995 and 2000, serving as Bihar’s chief minister, while his wife, Rabri Devi, represented the constituency in a 2000 by-election and two subsequent assembly elections.

Despite this, Satish Kumar has occasionally disrupted the family’s hold. In 2010, representing the Janata Dal (United), he defeated Rabri Devi, demonstrating his electoral strength in the region.

Broader Electoral Trends

While Yadav celebrated a key victory in Raghopur, the overall state trends pointed toward a strong performance by the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). By 5 pm, NDA candidates were leading in over 200 seats, signaling one of the BJP’s potentially best showings in Bihar’s recent political history.

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Sorit Chaudhary

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