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Former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Rabri Devi on Thursday appealed to the people of the state to come out in large numbers and cast their votes. She also extended her best wishes to both sons, Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, who are contesting from different parties.
Speaking to ANI after casting her vote, Rabri Devi said, "I appeal to the people of Bihar to step out and vote and don't forget your right to vote." Extending her best wishes to her sons, both contesting in the ongoing state elections, she said, "My best wishes to both my sons. Tej Pratap is contesting on his own. I am their mother. Good luck to both of them." Rabri Devi's remarks came as voting for the first phase of the 2025 assembly elections in Bihar began today at 7:00 am across 121 constituencies in 18 districts of the state, covering approximately 3.75 crore electors and 243 seats. Meanwhile her daughter and MP Misa Bharti seemed confident of an RJD victory at the hustings. "A cabinet minister of the NDA is saying lock up the poor and don't allow them to vote. This is Jungle Raj. The way murders are happening in Mokama, this is Jungle Raj. The youth and the people of Bihar have decided that this time, Tejashwi Yadav will become the Chief Minister. Mahagathbandhan government is going to be formed this time," she said. Polling will conclude at 6 pm, and due to security considerations, polling time has been curtailed to 5 pm in some constituencies. Voting in Tejahswi Yadav's Raghopur constituency is also underway. The incumbent RJD MLA is facing a tough challenge from BJP's Satish Kumar Yadav, who previously lost to Tejashwi in the 2020 Assembly elections. The incumbent MLA and leader of the opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, has been a dominant force in Raghopur. He won the seat in 2015 and 2020, defeating Satish Kumar Yadav on both occasions. Tejashwi Yadav's brother, Tej Pratap Yadav, who founded the new party Janshakti Janta Dal after leaving the RJD, has fielded Prem Kumar for the seat. The entry of Chanchal Singh from the Jan Suraaj Party, led by Prashant Kishor, could alter the contest's dynamics. Singh's candidacy may draw votes away from both the NDA and Mahagathbandhan, making the outcome unpredictable. The first phase of voting marks the beginning of a crucial electoral contest between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition INDIA bloc. The first phase will decide 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. (ANI)
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