Patna | Despite wielding considerable influence in Uttar Pradesh politics, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has historically struggled to make a mark in Bihar. Since its founding by Mulayam Singh Yadav, the SP has failed to establish a solid base in the neighboring state, winning only a handful of assembly seats between 1995 and 2005 and drawing less than three percent of the vote share in any election. By 2020, the party had virtually disappeared from Bihar’s electoral map.
However, Akhilesh Yadav is now attempting to change that trajectory by aligning with the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) — comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and Left parties — ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.
SP’s electoral record in Bihar reflects consistent weakness. It won just two seats in 1995, four in the February 2005 polls, and two in October 2005. Since then, its presence has steadily declined, with zero seats in 2010 and 2015, and no participation in 2020 when the party extended support to RJD. Analysts attribute this failure to the dominance of RJD and JD(U) over Bihar’s Yadav vote base, which makes up around 15% of the state’s electorate.
Akhilesh’s latest move, however, signals a new approach. Joining RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s Voter Adhikar Yatra, Akhilesh accused the BJP of “stealing votes” and predicted its ouster from Bihar. He pledged full support to RJD and the Mahagathbandhan. “BJP is on its way out of Bihar, and the Grand Alliance will form the next government,” he declared.
Political observers believe Akhilesh’s involvement could consolidate Yadav votes more firmly behind RJD while also boosting SP’s profile in Bihar. For the Mahagathbandhan, the move could help bridge the razor-thin margins that defined the 2020 elections, when NDA edged past the opposition by just one percent of the vote share.
While the SP is unlikely to contest many seats, the alliance strengthens its image as part of a larger anti-BJP front. Tejashwi Yadav welcomed Akhilesh’s support, calling it a sign of opposition unity. “This journey is making the BJP nervous,” he said.
Whether this partnership translates into real electoral gains remains to be seen. But Akhilesh Yadav’s renewed interest in Bihar politics gives the Mahagathbandhan an added edge as the 2025 polls approach, potentially turning the SP’s long history of “zero” into a new chapter of relevance in the state.
