Bihar elections 2025: Can BJP reclaim Danapur or will RJD hold ground? Key dates, candidates and more

As Bihar heads to the polls in November 2025, all eyes are on Danapur, a politically charged assembly seat that has witnessed some of the fiercest electoral battles in recent years. Located on the banks of the Ganga and Sone rivers, Danapur is one of six assembly segments under the Patliputra Lok Sabha seat and forms a crucial part of Patna district. The seat, established in 1957, is both historically significant and politically strategic due to its proximity to the state capital and its blend of urban, semi-urban, and rural demographics.

Danapur’s political mood has often mirrored Bihar’s larger trends. Once a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold, it saw a dramatic shift in 2020 when Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Rit Lal Ray (popularly known as Ritlal Yadav) claimed victory.

Why Danapur Matters

Danapur holds considerable weight in Bihar’s political landscape due to its demographic diversity and urban-rural mix. The seat is unreserved and falls within the Patliputra Lok Sabha segment. It lies within the expanding Patna Metropolitan Region and includes one of India’s oldest cantonment areas, established in 1765. In the 2020 election, the voter turnout in Danapur stood at 52.49 per cent, with 1,85,563 voters exercising their franchise.

The battle for Danapur represents more than a local contest; it encapsulates the larger fight between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP and Janata Dal (United), and the Mahagathbandhan, now known as the INDIA. bloc, comprising the RJD, Congress, and Left parties. Adding further intrigue, the Jan Suraaj Party, founded by Prashant Kishor, has entered the fray in several seats, potentially impacting traditional vote shares. The Election Commission of India recently confirmed that Bihar’s total voter base now stands at 7.42 crore, with 3.92 crore men, 3.49 crore women, and 1,725 third-gender voters.

Voting in Danapur takes place on Thursday, November 6, 2025, as part of the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, while counting will be held on November 14, 2025. The Model Code of Conduct remains in force and will continue until the entire electoral process concludes, ensuring that the election remains free and transparent.

Candidates and Contest

The Danapur contest has taken shape as a direct face-off between RJD’s Rit Lal Ray, the sitting MLA, and BJP’s Ram Kripal Yadav, a seasoned politician and former Union Minister. A total of seven candidates are contesting, including independent aspirants Pawan Kumar and Shailesh Kumar Dhiraj. The seat is expected to witness a high-stakes battle as both major camps, NDA and INDIA., vie to consolidate their influence in Patna district.

Rit Lal Ray, known for his strong grassroots connect, is relying on his local influence and the RJD’s organisational machinery to retain the seat. A controversial figure with a criminal past, the gangster-turned-politician is currently lodged in Bhagalpur jail, facing trial in an extortion case. His plea seeking temporary bail to campaign in the elections was recently rejected by the Patna High Court. Ram Kripal Yadav, on the other hand, brings both administrative experience and national visibility to the BJP’s campaign, making this one of the marquee contests of Phase 1.

Past Results and Trends

In the 2020 Assembly elections, Rit Lal Ray (RJD) won with 89,895 votes, defeating Asha Devi (BJP) who polled 73,971 votes, a victory margin of 15,924 votes. In 2015, however, Asha Devi had emerged victorious, defeating RJD’s Raj Kishor Yadav by 5,209 votes. This alternating trend between RJD and BJP shows Danapur’s status as a swing seat, where voter sentiment can shift sharply from one election to the next.

The seat’s transformation from a BJP stronghold to a competitive RJD bastion highlights the fluid nature of Bihar’s politics. With industrial development, civic issues, and local employment dominating the agenda, the 2025 contest will be a critical test of whether the RJD can retain its grip or the BJP can reclaim lost ground.

Outlook

As Bihar votes in the first phase on November 6, 2025, Danapur remains one of the seats to watch. The result, due on November 14, 2025, will not only decide the fate of its candidates but could also signal the direction of the wider political current in Patna and beyond.