Maithili Thakur Takes Early Lead in Alinagar By-Poll, BJP Seeks to Expand Base in North Bihar

NEW DELHI: Singer Maithili Thakur has taken an early lead, securing 7,637 votes and establishing a margin of 3,004 votes after the first round of counting. RJD candidate Binod Mishra is trailing behind with 4,633 votes as the counting continues.Dominating the early trends, Thakur is giving the BJP a strong lead in this closely watched contest. The party’s decision to field Thakur, banking on her wide popularity and cultural connect, appears to be paying off. If the trend continues, the BJP could secure this seat for the first time since 2008.Thakur faces a direct contest with RJD’s Binod Mishra, who finished runner-up in 2020, and Jan Suraj’s Biplaw Chaudhary.Election Results 2025Bihar election results: NDA leading in over 150 seats, MGB trails; JD(U) single-largest party as of nowBypolls: Congress’ Naveen Yadav leads in Jubilee Hills; counting under wayRJD’s star candidate Khesari Lal Yadav trails behind BJP’s Chhoti KumariBiharAlliance ViewiParty ViewSeats:243L + WMajority:122NDA0MGB0OTH0Leads + Wins:243/243NDALEADINGExperience Bihar Election Results in 3DA new interactive way to explore constituenciesSource: PValueThe seat, falling under Darbhanga district and part of the Darbhanga Lok Sabha constituency, is in the General category.Bihar Exit Polls 2025: Poll of Polls Show NDA Poised For Majority, MGB Trails, No Impact of JSPFollow Bihar Elections Live UpdatesPolitical observers say the Alinagar outcome will indicate how far the BJP’s outreach through youth icons and cultural identity politics resonates in the region. Thakur’s candidature marks a strategic shift, with the party hoping her appeal among young and first-time voters could swing the seat its way.In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, the Alinagar contest was among the closest in the state. Mishri Lal Yadav of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) had edged out Binod Mishra (RJD) by just 3,101 votes, securing 61,082 votes to Mishra’s 57,981.Follow Chapra Election Result Live UpdatesFive years earlier, in 2015, RJD’s Abdul Bari Siddiqui had comfortably won the seat with 67,461 votes, defeating his nearest rival by over 13,000 votes.CandidatesPartyVotes polledVote percentageMaithili ThakurBJPBinod MishraRJDBiplaw ChaudharyJan SuraajMargin of differenceWith Thakur entering the fray, this year’s race has taken on a new dimension. The BJP is seeking to expand its base in north Bihar beyond its traditional urban and upper-caste strongholds. The RJD, meanwhile, is counting on its organisational network and caste arithmetic to retain its edge.Counting for all 243 assembly constituencies begins at 8:00am, and early trends from Alinagar are expected to set the tone for the broader Darbhanga region.