- By Yashashvi Tak
- Tue, 04 Nov 2025 06:02 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Shyam Rajak Profile: Bihar Assembly Election 2025 is around the corner, with the first phase of polling set to be held on November 6. The Phulwari Assembly constituency in Patna district is gearing up for a high-stakes contest this time. Six-time MLA Shyam Rajak of JD(U), a veteran leader with deep roots in the area, is set to challenge the incumbent Gopal Ravidas of CPI-ML(L), who had won the seat in 2020 as part of the Mahagathbandhan alliance. This face-off makes the Phulwari Vidhan Sabha seat one of the most closely watched constituencies in the upcoming polls.
According to the final electoral roll released by the Election Commission after a Special Intensive Revision, Bihar has a total of 7.43 crore registered voters, comprising 3,92,07,604 men, 3,49,82,828 women, and 1,725 third-gender voters. Phulwari, designated as constituency number 188, is an SC-reserved seat under the Pataliputra Lok Sabha constituency. Voting in Phulwari will take place in the first phase on November 6, 2025, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 14, 2025.
Who Is Shyam Rajak Of JD(U)?
Shyam Rajak is a senior leader of the Janata Dal (United) and a six-time MLA from Phulwari Sharif. He has held several key portfolios in Bihar, including Minister for Industries under Nitish Kumar and Minister for Food and Consumer Protection (2010–2015). Earlier, during the RJD rule under Rabri Devi, he served as Minister of State for Energy, Public Relations, and Law. He is currently the whip of the main opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly.
Shyam Rajak: Education, Family Background And Career
Born on 22 July 1954 in Sabjibagh, Patna, Shyam Rajak holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce. He began his political journey through student activism during the JP Movement of 1974. Over his long career, he has been part of both RJD and JD(U), switching between the two major Bihar parties. He served as Industries Minister till 2020 before briefly joining RJD but did not contest the election that year. Rajak is married to Alka Verma, sister of filmmaker Vikash Verma, a marriage that overcame social and caste barriers after years of resistance.
Bihar Assembly Election 2025
The Bihar Vidhan Sabha election is largely a contest between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Mahagathbandhan or INDIA bloc, and the Jan Suraaj Party across all constituencies. The NDA comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)], Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM). The INDIA bloc is led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and includes the Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP).
Phulwari Seat Results In 2015 And 2020 Bihar Assembly Elections
In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, Gopal Ravidas of CPI(ML)L won the Phulwari seat by a margin of 13,857 votes, securing 91,124 votes against JD(U)’s Arun Manjhi, who received 77,267 votes. In contrast, during the 2015 elections, JD(U) candidate Shyam Rajak had won the constituency with 94,094 votes, defeating HAM(S)’s Rajeshwar Manjhi by a much larger margin of 45,713 votes.
Phulwari Assembly Election 2025: Key Candidates
The main contenders in Bihar’s Phulwari constituency are Shyam Rajak from the Janata Dal (United), Gopal Ravidas from the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation, and Shashi Kant Prasad from the Jan Suraaj Party. The JD(U) is part of the NDA alliance along with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM). Meanwhile, the CPI(ML)L is aligned with the opposition bloc comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP).