&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Bihar elections 2025: Can JD(U) reclaim Phulwari from CPI(ML)? All you need to know...")
As Bihar heads into the first phase of its 2025 Assembly elections, the Phulwari (SC) constituency in Patna district has emerged as one of the most closely watched battlegrounds. The seat will witness a high-stakes contest between Janata Dal (United)’s senior leader Shyam Rajak, contesting under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) banner, and incumbent MLA Gopal Ravi Das of the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation [CPI(ML)(L)], representing the Mahagathbandhan alliance.
A critical constituency in Patna’s political map
Phulwari, designated as constituency number 188, is reserved for Scheduled Castes and forms part of the Pataliputra Lok Sabha constituency. Located just a few kilometres from central Patna, the area reflects a complex social mix of Dalit, Muslim, and working-class voters. The seat has long alternated between JD(U) and Left-backed candidates, mirroring the broader state-level rivalry between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. Political observers consider Phulwari a bellwether constituency, often seen as an indicator of Dalit voter sentiment and the balance between Nitish Kumar’s governance pitch and the Left’s focus on social equity.
In a recent show of support, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav made a rare public appearance despite ill health, travelling through Phulwari Sharif in what many saw as a symbolic ‘road show.’ His presence underlined the Mahagathbandhan’s determination to consolidate its traditional base in the region.
The candidates: veterans and grassroots leaders
Gopal Ravi Das, 56, of CPI(ML)(L) is seeking a second consecutive term. Backed by the Mahagathbandhan alliance, Ravi Das is a grassroots leader known for his association with social movements in Masaurhi and central Bihar. His campaign stresses land rights, social justice, and employment for marginalised communities.
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Challenging him is 71-year-old Shyam Rajak of JD(U) who brings decades of political experience and a strong Dalit outreach record. A commerce graduate from Patna University, Rajak has served multiple terms as MLA and held several ministerial portfolios in previous state governments. His campaign is anchored around Nitish Kumar’s welfare and development agenda, with a focus on stability and governance.
Key dates, past results and electoral significance
In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, Gopal Ravi Das of CPI(ML)(L) won Phulwari by a margin of 13,857 votes, polling 91,124 votes against JD(U)’s Arun Manjhi, who secured 77,267 votes. Five years earlier, in 2015, JD(U)’s Shyam Rajak had triumphed with 94,094 votes, defeating HAM(S)’s Rajeshwar Manjhi by a wide margin of 45,713 votes.
With 7.42 crore registered voters across Bihar, comprising 3.92 crore men, 3.49 crore women, and 1,725 third-gender voters, the 2025 polls are being closely watched for voter turnout and caste-based realignments. For Phulwari, the outcome could signal how Bihar’s Dalit and minority electorate view Nitish Kumar’s leadership and the Left’s continuing influence in the state’s heartland.
