RJD's Anil Kumar Jha defeats sitting BJP MLC in Darbhanga Graduates' seat by 450 votes
Synopsis
In one of the tighter finishes of Bihar's eight-seat Legislative Council election, RJD's Anil Kumar Jha overturned an early deficit to defeat sitting BJP MLC Sarvesh Singh by just 450 votes in Darbhanga — a result that hands the RJD a morale boost and revives the party's demand to scrap electronic voting in favour of ballot papers nationwide.
Key Takeaways
RJD candidate Anil Kumar Jha defeated sitting BJP MLC Sarvesh Singh by 450 votes in the Darbhanga Graduates' constituency on 29 October 2026 .
Singh had led in the early rounds of counting before Jha overtook him; Singh subsequently congratulated Jha in person.
Jha credited RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and cross-caste support from graduate voters for his victory.
Across all 8 seats , the NDA won 3 (BJP 2, JD-U 1), RJD won 2 , Jan Suraaj Party won 1 , and independents took 2 .
RJD spokesperson Shakti Yadav used the result to renew the party's national demand for ballot-paper voting, alleging the BJP would struggle under such a system.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Anil Kumar Jha pulled off a notable upset in the Bihar Legislative Council elections on 29 October 2026, defeating sitting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC Sarvesh Singh by 450 votes in the Darbhanga Graduates' constituency. The result reversed an early advantage that Singh had held through several initial counting rounds, making it one of the more closely fought contests of the eight-seat council election.
How the Count Unfolded
Sarvesh Singh maintained a lead during the early rounds of vote-counting, keeping supporters of both camps on edge. The tide turned in later rounds, with Jha ultimately pulling ahead by the final margin of 450 votes. In a display of grace after the declaration, Singh reportedly hugged Jha and personally congratulated him — a gesture that drew wide attention given the sharp political rivalry between the two parties.
What Jha Said After the Win
Speaking to reporters outside the counting centre, Jha said he had expected to win by a larger margin of around 2,000 votes, but expressed satisfaction with the outcome. He credited the support of graduate voters cutting across caste and religious lines, describing it as a mandate based on merit rather than identity. Jha also expressed gratitude to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, noting that Yadav had extended confidence in him on two separate occasions and facilitated his candidacy.
Overall Results Across Eight Seats
The Bihar Legislative Council election covered eight seats — four in Graduate constituencies and four in Teachers' constituencies. According to results cited by the RJD, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won three seats, with the BJP securing two and the Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) claiming one. The RJD won two seats, while the Jan Suraaj Party secured one. Independent candidates claimed the remaining two seats.
RJD's Demand for Ballot Papers
RJD spokesperson Shakti Yadav reacted to the results by renewing the party's demand for ballot-paper-based voting across all elections in the country. He claimed the RJD's performance — including an earlier win in the Bhojpur local-body Legislative Council election — demonstrated the party's ground strength. Yadav alleged that the BJP would find it significantly harder to win elections under a paper-ballot system, framing the demand as a matter of democratic integrity. This comes amid a broader national debate over the transparency and auditability of electronic voting machines.
Significance of the Darbhanga Result
The unseating of a sitting MLC in Darbhanga is a meaningful signal for the RJD, which has been working to rebuild momentum ahead of the next Bihar Assembly elections. The result also underscores the competitive nature of graduate-constituency polls, where caste arithmetic is less decisive and candidate-specific appeal tends to weigh more heavily. How the NDA and the RJD interpret this outcome could shape candidate strategy in the months ahead.
Point of View
Feeding a narrative that EVMs disadvantage the opposition. Whether that argument gains traction beyond party ranks is another matter — but the timing, immediately after a council win, gives it more oxygen than usual.
NationPress
29 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Darbhanga Graduates' constituency in the Bihar Legislative Council election?
RJD candidate Anil Kumar Jha won the Darbhanga Graduates' constituency on 29 October 2026, defeating sitting BJP MLC Sarvesh Singh by 450 votes. Singh had led during the initial counting rounds before Jha overtook him.
What were the overall results of the Bihar Legislative Council elections?
Across the eight seats contested — four Graduate and four Teachers' constituencies — the NDA won three seats (BJP two, JD-U one), the RJD won two, the Jan Suraaj Party won one, and independent candidates claimed the remaining two seats, according to results cited by the RJD.
What did RJD's Anil Kumar Jha say after his victory?
Jha said he had expected to win by around 2,000 votes but was satisfied with the result. He credited cross-caste support from graduate voters and expressed gratitude to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for backing his candidacy on two occasions.
Why is the RJD demanding ballot-paper voting after these results?
RJD spokesperson Shakti Yadav argued that the party's performance in the Bihar Legislative Council elections — including the Darbhanga win — proves its ground strength, and claimed the BJP would struggle to win if ballot papers replaced electronic voting machines nationwide. The demand reflects a broader opposition argument about EVM transparency.
What is the significance of the Darbhanga upset for Bihar politics?
The unseating of a sitting MLC in Darbhanga signals that the RJD retains competitive strength in graduate constituencies, where voter choices are less strictly caste-driven. The result is likely to influence candidate selection strategies ahead of the next Bihar Assembly elections.
