As the Bihar Assembly elections 2025 draw closer, political activities are intensifying. Kewati Assembly constituency (number 86), one of the state's 243 assembly seats, has always remained in the headlines.
Kewati: It is an important constituency among the 243 seats of the Bihar Assembly, with constituency number 86. This seat falls under the general category and is not reserved for Scheduled Castes or Tribes. Politically, this region has been a hub of competition for major parties like the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Janata Dal (United) (JDU), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Congress.
The Kewati Assembly constituency falls under the Madhubani Lok Sabha constituency. In the 2020 Assembly elections, BJP's Murari Mohan Jha defeated RJD veteran leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui by 5,126 votes. Meanwhile, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP candidate Ashok Kumar Yadav defeated RJD's Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatimi by a significant margin, securing the Madhubani Lok Sabha seat by a difference of 1,51,945 votes.
Kewati Assembly: An important part of Madhubani Lok Sabha Constituency
The Kewati Assembly seat falls under the Madhubani Lok Sabha constituency. Madhubani is considered a political bhold of the Mithila region, and its trends significantly impact state politics. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United) (JDU), and Congress have traditionally held influence in this region.
2020 Assembly Elections: BJP's Victory
In the 2020 elections, BJP's Murari Mohan Jha won this seat by defeating RJD's senior leader and former minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui.
- Murari Mohan Jha received 76,372 votes.
- Abdul Bari Siddiqui secured 71,246 votes.
- The winning margin was 5,126 votes.
In this election, independent candidate Yogesh Ranjan received 3,304 votes and stood third.
2015 Assembly Elections: RJD Gained Upper Hand
In the 2015 elections, RJD candidate Faraz Fatmi won this seat.
- Faraz Fatmi received 68,601 votes.
- BJP's Ashok Kumar Yadav secured 60,771 votes.
- The winning margin was 7,830 votes.
This election was fought as Mahagathbandhan versus NDA, and the results played a crucial role in the change of state power at that time.
History Before 2010: BJP and RJD Dominance
The Kewati seat has seen a long-standing rivalry between BJP and RJD.
- 2010: Ashok Kumar Yadav (BJP) secured victory.
- 2005 (February & October): Ashok Kumar Yadav (BJP) was victorious.
- 2000: Ghulam Sarwar (RJD) registered a win.
- 1995 and 1990: Ghulam Sarwar (Janata Dal) won consecutively.
- 1985: Kaleem Ahmad (Congress) recorded a win.
- 1980: Shamaile Nabi (Congress) was victorious.
- 1977: Durgadas Thakur (Janata Party) won the seat.
This history indicates that the seat was once held by Congress, but since 1990, the main contest has been observed between BJP and RJD.
2024 Lok Sabha Elections: BJP's Big Victory
The Madhubani Lok Sabha constituency, which includes the Kewati seat, went to the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. BJP candidate Ashok Kumar Yadav defeated RJD's Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatimi with a winning margin of 1,51,945 votes. This result clearly indicates that BJP has a b voter base in this region. During the 2020 Assembly elections, a total of 2,89,626 voters were registered in Kewati.
- Male voters: 1,54,494
- Female voters: 1,35,123
- Third gender: 9
Additionally, 430 postal votes and 245 service voters cast their ballots. The number of voters increased by approximately 23,000 compared to 2015. This data suggests that where the votes of new voters will go could prove decisive in the 2025 elections.
