The political fate of Bodh Gaya Assembly constituency hangs in balance as counting begins for the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections. This reserved Scheduled Caste seat went to polls on November 11, 2025, as part of the crucial two-phase elections that will determine the next government in Bihar.
Key Candidates in the Fray
Bodh Gaya witnesses a multi-cornered contest with several prominent candidates vying for the assembly seat. The main contenders include Shyamdeo Paswan representing the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Lakshman Manjhi from the Jan Suraaj Party, and Kumar Sarvjeet of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Other candidates in the electoral battle include Ashok Kumar Paswan (Vikas Vanchit Insan Party), Kumar Pardeep (Independent), Nandlal Kumar (Independent), Ramswrup Rishiyasan (Independent), Sugiya Devi (Moolniwasi Samaj Party), Uday Das (Peoples Party of India Democratic), and Virendra Rajvanshi alias Bigendra Kumar (Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party).
Historical Context and Previous Results
In the 2020 Assembly elections, Kumar Sarvjeet of RJD emerged victorious by a significant margin of 4708 votes. The Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate Hari Manjhi secured the runner-up position with 76,218 votes. This historical context adds significance to the current electoral battle, with Kumar Sarvjeet attempting to defend his seat against strong opposition.
The electoral history of Bodh Gaya shows interesting patterns. In 2015, Kumar Sarvjeet had claimed victory, while in 2010, Shyam Deo Paswan won the constituency, making the current contest particularly intriguing with Paswan returning to the political arena.
Bihar's Electoral Landscape
Elections for the 243 Bihar Vidhan Sabha seats were conducted in two phases on November 06, 2025 and November 11, 2025. The state witnessed a voter turnout of 57.3% this year, showing a slight increase compared to the 2020 elections.
The political battle in Bihar primarily involves two major alliances - the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan and the NDA comprising JD(U), BJP and other partners. Both coalitions expressed confidence about achieving a clear victory before the counting of votes began on November 14, 2025.
As one of the 243 assembly constituencies in Bihar, Bodh Gaya's results will contribute to determining which political formation gets to form the next government in the state. The constituency's status as a reserved SC seat makes it particularly significant in Bihar's complex caste-based political arithmetic.
The election results from Bodh Gaya and other constituencies are being closely watched by political analysts and parties alike, as they will shape Bihar's political direction for the next five years.
