BJP's NP Singh wins Tirhut Teachers' MLC seat by 594 votes
Synopsis
The BJP has flipped a Left stronghold in Bihar's upper house, with NP Singh defeating two-term CPI incumbent Sanjay Singh in the Tirhut Teachers' constituency by 594 votes. The result, decided in a multi-round preferential count, also signals a growing Jan Suraaj footprint after Prashant Kishor's party-backed candidate contested as an independent and finished second.
Key Takeaways
NP Singh (BJP/NDA) won the Tirhut Teachers' constituency MLC seat on 27 October 2026 , defeating CPI's Sanjay Singh by 594 votes .
In the final elimination round, NP Singh secured 2,945 votes ; independent Bhushan Jha came second with 2,351 votes .
Incumbent Sanjay Singh , a two-term MLC, slipped to third place — ending the CPI's hold on the seat.
Bhushan Jha initially had a Jan Suraaj Party ticket but returned it to Prashant Kishor and contested independently.
Voter turnout in the constituency was 82.99 per cent , with polling held on 23 October .
Narendra Prasad Singh, popularly known as NP Singh, secured the Tirhut Teachers' constituency seat in the Bihar Legislative Council on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, defeating Communist Party of India (CPI) candidate Sanjay Singh by 594 votes in counting held at Muzaffarpur. The result hands the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) a seat previously held by the Left for two consecutive terms.
How the Counting Unfolded
The election used a preferential voting system, and no candidate crossed the required quota in the initial rounds. In the first-preference vote count, NP Singh established a slender lead of 138 votes. After second-preference votes were tallied, his margin widened to 159 votes, with NP Singh receiving 1,872 votes, followed by CPI's Sanjay Singh with 1,713 votes and independent candidate Bhushan Jha with 1,650 votes.
With no outright winner emerging after the second round, officials proceeded to an elimination round under applicable counting rules. In the final elimination round, NP Singh secured 2,945 votes, finishing ahead of Bhushan Jha who came second with 2,351 votes. Two-term incumbent Sanjay Singh slipped to third place.
The Jan Suraaj Factor
The contest carried an additional dimension through the presence of Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party. Bhushan Jha had initially received a ticket from Jan Suraaj but subsequently returned it to party founder Prashant Kishor and contested as an independent. Jan Suraaj then fielded Shyam Nandan Yadav in his place, though Yadav failed to emerge as a significant contender. Jha's strong second-place finish as an independent nonetheless signals that Jan Suraaj's voter base could factor meaningfully in future Bihar contests.
What the Winner Said
Speaking after his victory, NP Singh attributed the win to the NDA's governance record with teachers. 'Today's victory belongs to the workers and leaders of the NDA constituent parties. This is a victory for Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary and the workers of the NDA. The government will continue to work in the best interests of teachers; it is because of this that the teachers placed their trust in the government and helped secure this win,' he said.
Significance of the Result
The Tirhut Teachers' constituency recorded a voter turnout of 82.99 per cent in polling held on 23 October, part of elections for eight Bihar Legislative Council seats. The win represents a notable setback for the CPI, which had held the seat through Sanjay Singh for two consecutive terms. For the BJP, it consolidates NDA's strength in the Bihar upper house ahead of the state's next electoral cycle. Notably, teacher-constituency elections in Bihar have historically been a barometer of organised voter groups' sentiment toward the ruling dispensation.
Point of View
Which have long been a CPI stronghold and an early-warning system for state-level sentiment. The Left's inability to hold a seat it won twice, even against a preferential vote split, points to eroding organisational depth in northern Bihar. Equally noteworthy is the Jan Suraaj variable: Bhushan Jha's runner-up finish as an independent — after returning his Jan Suraaj ticket — suggests Prashant Kishor's movement can draw votes even without a formal candidate, complicating the NDA's comfort calculus ahead of the 2025 assembly cycle.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Tirhut Teachers' MLC election in Bihar?
BJP-backed NDA candidate Narendra Prasad Singh, known as NP Singh, won the Tirhut Teachers' constituency seat in the Bihar Legislative Council on 27 October 2026. He defeated CPI candidate Sanjay Singh by 594 votes in counting held at Muzaffarpur.
How was the Tirhut Teachers' MLC winner decided?
The election used a preferential voting system. No candidate cleared the required quota in the first or second-preference rounds, so officials moved to an elimination round. NP Singh won that final round with 2,945 votes, edging out independent Bhushan Jha who received 2,351 votes.
What was the significance of Bhushan Jha's candidacy?
Bhushan Jha was originally fielded by Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party but returned his ticket and contested as an independent. His second-place finish showed Jan Suraaj's potential to influence vote shares in Bihar even without formal party backing.
How long did CPI hold the Tirhut Teachers' seat before this result?
CPI's Sanjay Singh had represented the Tirhut Teachers' constituency for two consecutive terms before losing to NP Singh in the 27 October 2026 counting. The BJP win ends the Left's grip on this seat in the Bihar Legislative Council.
What was the voter turnout in the Tirhut Teachers' constituency election?
The constituency recorded a voter turnout of 82.99 per cent in polling held on 23 October 2026, as part of elections for eight Bihar Legislative Council seats.
