Patna, Oct 18 (NationPress) The Warisliganj Assembly constituency in Nawada district is gearing up for one of the most intense battles in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections — marking another chapter in the long-standing feud between two influential political dynasties.

RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, along with Opposition Leader Tejashwi Yadav, has placed their trust in Anita Devi, spouse of the notorious Ashok Mahto, by nominating her for the Warisliganj seat.

Anita Devi previously contested in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Munger against Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also known as Lalan Singh, but faced a significant defeat. Nevertheless, she has once more secured the RJD symbol.

Party insiders reveal that Anita Devi received her candidacy late Thursday night at Rabri Devi’s home, where Tejashwi personally presented her with the party symbol.

She will be opposing Aruna Devi, the incumbent MLA and BJP candidate from the NDA, who is also the spouse of another powerful figure, Akhilesh Singh.

Ashok Mahto, released from incarceration in December 2023 after serving 17 years related to a Nawada jailbreak incident, has been actively campaigning in the area.

Although he cannot run for office due to his conviction, he has been rallying support for his wife for several weeks.

The rivalry between Ashok Mahto and Akhilesh Singh has been a defining feature of the political landscape in the Warisliganj-Nawada-Nalanda region for nearly thirty years. What began as a struggle for caste and regional supremacy in the 1990s eventually developed into a political feud between their families.

The electoral history of Warisliganj encapsulates this fierce competition.

In 2000, Aruna Devi secured her first victory on a JD(U) ticket. By 2005, Pradeep Mahto, a close ally of Ashok Mahto, entered the race, losing in February but defeating Aruna Devi in the re-election that October.

Pradeep Mahto held the seat in 2010, while Aruna Devi regained her position in 2015, solidifying her hold in 2020 with a BJP ticket, winning by over 25,000 votes against RJD’s Aarti Singh.

Now, the stage is set for yet another high-stakes conflict — this time between the wives of the two rival strongmen.

Both Anita Devi and Aruna Devi are anticipated to lean heavily on the traditional support networks established by their husbands.

Political analysts suggest that this contest will not merely determine the future of Warisliganj but also act as a litmus test for the RJD’s strategy of leveraging muscle power to confront the NDA’s dominance in southern Bihar.