News18 Hindi reported that both Deputy Chief Ministers — Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha — are among the key targets. Other ministers under pressure include Ashok Chaudhary, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, and Shravan Kumar, all from the JD(U) quota.
There is speculation that this political strategy may also involve revenge politics, but the true picture will become clear after the official election announcement. Meanwhile, the affected ministers are said to be in a state of concern.
Narrow margins, anti-incumbency, and voter list changes
In the 2020 assembly elections, several ministers had won by narrow margins. For instance, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary barely retained the Sarairanjan seat. This time, over 20,000 voters have been removed from the constituency’s electoral roll, further complicating the equation. Anti-incumbency from previous terms could also work against him.
Similarly, Deputy CM Vijay Sinha, who won the Lakhisarai seat with a reduced margin compared to 2015, may face a stronger challenge this time. The LJP (Ram Vilas), led by Pashupati Kumar Paras, may field a candidate from the family of strongman Surajbhan Singh, which could split the Bhumihar vote — a key factor in this constituency — and benefit the RJD.
Other ministers under fire
The report said Vijendra Prasad Yadav (Energy Minister, JD(U)) is facing a stiff challenge from RJD’s Minatullah Rahmani in Supaul.
Shravan Kumar (Rural Development Minister, JD(U)) won Nalanda in 2020 by just 4,098 votes, the lowest victory margin in that election. With names being removed from the voter list under the Election Commission’s revision, the seat could swing either way.
Jivesh Mishra (BJP, Jale MLA) and Neeraj Kumar Singh ‘Bablu’ (BJP, Chhatapur MLA) are also reportedly under pressure from growing Opposition mobilisation.
Former ministers like Renu Devi (Bettiah) and Ramsurat Rai (Aurai) are also on the Opposition’s radar.
Who is leading the Opposition strategy?
While Tejashwi Yadav and Prashant Kishor are seen as key players behind the campaign, the involvement of local power brokers and strongmen — like Surajbhan Singh — suggests a broader coalition aiming to dislodge close aides of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
With over 64 lakh names deleted from Bihar’s voter rolls during the latest electoral revision, many constituencies are expected to witness close contests. Seats like Sarairanjan, Jale, Supaul, and Lakhisarai are especially under focus, where shifting public mood and aggressive opposition tactics could influence outcomes.
Whether the NDA ministers can withstand this ‘Chakravyuh’ laid by the Opposition remains to be seen as Bihar heads into a high-stakes election.
