Before the Bihar Assembly elections, the political equations within the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have completely changed. The Lalu family, which until five years ago stood in support of Tej Pratap Yadav, has now made a major shift in its electoral strategy.
Patna: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has altered the political landscape on Bihar's Parsa assembly seat by fielding Dr. Karishma Rai as its candidate. Karishma Rai is the granddaughter of former Chief Minister Daroga Rai and is a dentist by profession. Political experts are calling Tejashwi Yadav's strategy a 'double gamble,' as it has not only strengthened the party's position on the Parsa seat but has also introduced a new turn in the politics associated with former MLA Tej Pratap Yadav and his family.
Tejashwi's Big Political Move
Ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the equations within the RJD have completely transformed. The Lalu family, which until five years ago stood by Tej Pratap Yadav, has now taken a new political step. By giving a ticket to Dr. Karishma Rai, Tej Pratap's cousin-in-law, Tejashwi Yadav has signaled a move to put old disputes behind.
In 2020, due to the dispute between Tej Pratap and his wife Aishwarya Rai, the family had sided with Tej Pratap. At that time, Aishwarya's father, Chandrika Rai, had left the RJD. Now, five years later, Tejashwi has completely changed the equations by fielding Karishma as the candidate from the Parsa seat.
Parsa Seat and JDU's Reaction
On the Parsa seat, the JDU has denied a ticket to Chandrika Rai, Aishwarya Rai's father. The JDU has instead nominated Chhotelal Rai, who recently joined from the RJD. It is noteworthy that Chhotelal Rai was the sitting RJD MLA from Parsa and had defeated Chandrika Rai by 17,000 votes in the last election. Tejashwi, by giving the ticket to Karishma, has spoiled Chandrika Rai's game. After being denied a ticket, Chandrika Rai might have planned to contest from another party or gain sympathy votes by portraying his daughter as a victim. However, Karishma getting the ticket has impacted his strategy.
By fielding Karishma as a candidate, Tejashwi has also sent a political message to Tej Pratap Yadav. This is a clear indication that the RJD will no longer distance itself from those from whom it had maintained a distance due to personal disputes in 2020. It is believed that when Karishma Rai, as a niece, goes to seek blessings for victory from her uncle Chandrika Rai, she will also receive family support. This will further strengthen her political position.
Caste Dynamics of Parsa Seat
In the Parsa assembly constituency, caste equations play a decisive role in the elections. The numbers of Yadav, Muslim, Kushwaha, and Dalit voters here are significant.
- RJD has a b hold on its traditional Yadav and Muslim (M-Y) vote bank.
- BJP and JDU have traditionally held sway over the Kushwaha and upper caste voters.
- On the Hindu-majority Parsa seat, the approximately 10-12 percent Muslim population also plays a decisive role.
- Yadav voters are the largest in number, followed by Kushwaha, Dalits, and other backward classes.
Political analysts believe that Karishma Rai's nomination could activate the RJD's M-Y vote bank, while the JDU and BJP might have to alter their strategies.
