How Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD topped votes yet suffered a surprising seat decline

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The recent Bihar election outcome shows a huge disparity between the number of votes and the seats for Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD. The party received 23 percent of the total votes, which is more than any other party, and it was the highest vote share among all the political parties, overtaking the BJP and JDU. 

The RJD party contested in 143 seats, but despite the strong performance, the party only won 25 seats, showcasing a mismatch between popularity and electoral conversion in key constituencies.

How Tejashwi Yadav’s Party Surpassed BJP and JDU in Votes

As per the Election Commission, RJD candidates received more than 1.15 crore votes, slightly lower than the party’s 2020 tally but still the largest individual vote count this year. 

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The BJP received 20.08 percent of the votes, while Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) secured 19.25 percent. The majority vote share indicates that the RJD party will have strong public support, despite the numbers not being reflected in the seat count.

Why the RJD Lost Despite Strong Public Backing


The unequal distribution of votes and seats is mainly the result of how candidates were distributed and the presence of close contests during the elections. The RJD, by contesting 143 seats, gained the widest exposure but at the same time increased the likelihood of coming second in several constituencies. 

Officials explained that “even losing candidates add to the vote share,” which helps explain why the RJD’s popularity did not translate into wins. The Mahagathbandhan’s combined vote share of 35.89 percent also fell short of the NDA’s overall strength.

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Nitish Kumar’s Base Remains Stable Amid Rising Competition


In contrast to 2020, Nitish Kumar's JD(U) achieved a great increase in vote share, one of the factors being the loyalty of the voters, even though there was an anti-incumbency movement. 

The NDA's overall share of approximately 46 to 47 percent gave it a clear advantage over the BJP and JD(U) competing for the same number of seats. This shifted the power towards the new Bihar government's formation, and the RJD had fewer wins to claim.

What the Vote Share Reveal Means for Bihar’s Political Future


The Bihar election news reflects a political change where popularity does not always translate into seats. Tejashwi Yadav's significant percentage of votes is a sign of a lasting appeal, but the polling tactics altered the outcome. Compared to earlier elections, the RJD's widespread support remains intact. 

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This indicates the possibility of winning more seats in the future. The latest results demonstrate that alliances, seat sharing, and constituency-level strategy are the key factors that will determine Bihar's next political chapter.