Kargahar Assembly Election 2025: Constituency profile, past winners and key candidates

The Bihar Assembly Elections results will be declared on November 14.

The Kargahar Assembly constituency (No. 209) in Bihar’s Rohtas district is gearing up for a crucial contest in the 2025 state elections. Falling under the Sasaram Lok Sabha seat, Kargahar is a general category constituency that has seen intense political battles over the years. Polling here will be held on November 11, and the results will be declared on November 14.

Ahead of the election, the Election Commission conducted a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls to ensure that all eligible voters were listed.

Political history and past winners

Kargahar has alternated between the Congress and the Janata Dal (United) in recent elections. In 2020, Congress candidate Santosh Kumar Mishra won with 59,763 votes (30.76%), narrowly defeating JD(U)’s Bashisth Singh by 4,083 votes. In 2015, Bashisth Singh had secured a decisive victory for JD(U) with a margin of nearly 13,000 votes, while Ram Dhani Singh of the same party had represented the seat in 2010, as per India TV News.

Candidates in the 2025 election

This year, the battle is shaping up to be a triangular contest. JD(U)’s Bashisth Singh is once again contesting under the NDA alliance banner, while Congress has re-nominated sitting MLA Santosh Kumar Mishra from the INDIA bloc. The Jan Suraaj Party, led by political strategist Prashant Kishor, has fielded Ritesh Ranjan Pandey, introducing a third front into the contest.

Key issues and voter concerns
Comprising around 257 villages, Kargahar is predominantly rural and agrarian. Issues such as farm distress, unemployment, and lack of infrastructure dominate local political conversations. Voter sentiment often swings on development promises and caste equations, making the constituency highly competitive.

What to watch for in 2025
With its record of tight margins and shifting loyalties, Kargahar is one of the key constituencies to watch in the Bihar Assembly Election 2025. Entry of new players like Jan Suraaj could disrupt traditional vote banks, while voter turnout and newly added names in the electoral roll may ultimately decide the winner.