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Bihar Elections 2025: The 'M-factor' in Tejashwi Yadav's bid to end RJD's 20-year power exile

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  Published in Politics and Government on Tuesday, October 28th 2025 at 8:02 GMT by moneycontrol.com
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Bihar Elections 2025: The “M Factor” in Tejashwi Yadav’s Bid to End RJD’s 20‑Year Power Exile

The 2025 Bihar elections are shaping up to be a watershed moment for the region’s politics, with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) under the stewardship of Tejashwi Yadav looking to overturn a two‑decade lull in its political dominance. The MoneyControl feature titled “Bihar elections 2025 – the M factor in Tejashwi Yadav’s bid to end RJD’s 20‑year power exile” lays out the contours of this campaign, explaining why the “M factor” is being treated as the linchpin of the RJD’s comeback strategy.

1. The Context: A 20‑Year Exile

In 2020, the RJD, led by veteran leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, suffered a crushing defeat in the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections. The party’s alliance with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) broke apart after the BJP withdrew its support for a no‑confidence motion against the Nitish‑Kumar government, leading to the latter’s resignation and the formation of a new NDA‑led administration. The RJD was left on the sidelines for 20 years, with its influence largely confined to a handful of seats in the assembly. The MoneyControl article notes that the party’s loss marked the end of its “political exile” – a term that has since become shorthand for its period of marginalisation.

Tejashwi Yadav, the charismatic son‑in‑law of Lalu Prasad, has been grooming a new generation of leaders within the RJD, and has emerged as the face of the party’s revival. He has been active on social media, leveraging digital platforms to connect with the youth and marginalized communities. However, the article points out that a purely digital strategy will not suffice; the party must also rebuild its grassroots machinery.

2. The “M Factor” – Who or What Is It?

The article’s central thesis is that the “M factor” will be the defining element that can flip the outcome of the upcoming polls. Though the piece is not explicit about the identity of “M”, it offers a series of clues:

• M as “Mahila” (Women) – The RJD’s campaign is prioritising female voters, who comprise a sizeable portion of the electorate in Bihar’s rural districts. The party has pledged increased representation of women in its candidate list and has formed a Women’s Cell to mobilise support.

• M as “Mass” (Mass Mobilisation) – Tejashwi’s strategy involves an intensive door‑to‑door campaign, targeting low‑income households, small‑scale farmers, and daily wage labourers. The “M factor” here is the sheer scale of mobilisation, which the RJD believes can offset the NDA’s entrenched presence.

• M as “Modernisation” (Modern Campaign Techniques) – The RJD is using data analytics, geo‑targeted ads, and influencer collaborations to reach voters in urban constituencies like Patna, Muzaffarpur, and Gaya.

The article emphasises that the “M factor” is not a single element but a composite of these tactics, designed to resonate with a broad cross‑section of the electorate. It argues that if executed effectively, this multipronged approach could erode the NDA’s vote bank in key districts.

3. Alliance Dynamics and Political Calculus

The MoneyControl piece also delves into the shifting alliance landscape. It cites a recent report on the “Bihar election 2025 timeline” that details the schedule for nominations, campaign rallies, and voting dates. The RJD’s potential partners include the Janata Dal (United) and the Aam Aadmi Party, both of which have expressed willingness to explore collaborative options. However, the article notes that the NDA remains a formidable force, with the BJP and JD(U) jointly holding 65 seats in the 2020 assembly.

The “M factor” is framed as a strategic counterbalance to this dominant alliance. The RJD is positioning itself as a coalition of marginalized communities – scheduled castes, backward classes, and the youth – that can collectively challenge the NDA’s narrative of development at the cost of equity.

4. Socio‑Economic Issues Driving the Campaign

The article underscores the key issues that are likely to sway voters in 2025:

• Agricultural distress – With the 2023 monsoon failing to deliver adequate rainfall, farmers in districts like Purnia and Bhagalpur have voiced concerns about crop failure and debt. Tejashwi’s platform promises a ₹30‑rupee subsidy per kilogram of grain and a 15% increase in minimum support prices.

• Unemployment and migration – Bihar’s large youth population is increasingly looking for opportunities abroad. The RJD’s pledge to establish industrial corridors in Patna and Patna Sahib is presented as a solution to curb the out‑migration trend.

• Infrastructure deficits – Rural electrification and road connectivity remain sore points. The RJD’s campaign promises to accelerate the “Bihar Power Plan” and to ensure 100% coverage of all rural villages by 2025.

These policy promises are tied to the “M factor” by illustrating how the RJD intends to harness mass mobilisation to deliver tangible benefits. The article quotes an interview with a local farmer in Bhagalpur who says, “If the RJD can really bring jobs and better irrigation, we will vote.”

5. The Road Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities

While the article presents an optimistic outlook for the RJD, it also outlines potential hurdles:

• Rebuilding organisational capacity – After two decades in opposition, the RJD’s cadre network has weakened. The “M factor” must therefore focus on revitalising grassroots volunteers and ensuring effective coordination between state and district units.

• Countering the NDA’s media narrative – The BJP’s media presence in Bihar is strong, and the RJD must develop a robust counter‑story that counters accusations of “political patronage” and “governance gaps.”

• Managing coalition expectations – If the RJD is to partner with the JD(U) or AAP, it must negotiate a clear seat‑share formula that protects its core constituencies.

The MoneyControl piece concludes that the “M factor” is a necessary but not sufficient condition for a RJD resurgence. Success will depend on the party’s ability to translate mass enthusiasm into organised votes, to deliver on policy promises, and to maintain a cohesive narrative that resonates across Bihar’s diverse electorate.

6. Additional Context from Linked Sources

The article references a 2023 piece on “Bihar elections 2025: the 2023 elections” that provides a detailed timeline of candidate nominations and campaign deadlines. Another linked source – “Bihar election 2025 timeline” – offers a calendar of key dates, including the start of the campaign on 15th March, the first televised debate on 10th May, and the voting day on 1st November. These timelines help situate the “M factor” within the broader electoral calendar, indicating when the RJD’s mobilisation efforts are expected to peak.

Bottom Line

Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD is looking to end a 20‑year period of marginalisation by harnessing the “M factor” – a blend of mass mobilisation, women’s engagement, modern campaign tactics, and policy promises tailored to Bihar’s pressing issues. The MoneyControl feature portrays this strategy as a realistic, if ambitious, blueprint for reshaping the state’s political balance in 2025. Whether the RJD can transform the “M factor” into actual seats remains a question that the forthcoming electoral contest will decisively answer.