New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially appointed Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as the election in-charge for the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls. He has been placed at the heart of the party’s strategy in one of India’s most politically complex states. Union Minister CR Paatil and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya have been named as co-incharges.
No Stranger: Pradhan, who represented Bihar in the Rajya Sabha from 2012 to 2018, is no stranger to the state’s electoral dynamics. He previously served as BJP’s co-incharge for Bihar elections and as the party’s national general secretary in-charge of the state.
Tactical Win Record: Pradhan’s appointment is seen as a strategic move by the BJP, given his successful track record in managing elections in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Bihar. His ability to blend grassroots mobilisation with high-level planning has earned him the reputation of a political troubleshooter.In Bihar, he was instrumental in the NDA’s 2020 victory, navigating alliance tensions and voter fatigue.
Pradhan has long been seen as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah’s trusted lieutenant. He was the architect of the BJP’s historic third victory in Haryana in 2024.
He has already proved himself by beineg teh strategist for the elections in Uttarakhand in 2017, Uttar Pradesh in 2022, and Karnataka (2023). His long-term project was home state Odisha, which the BJP won last year.Bihar Challenges: The 2025 assembly election will be BJP’s first major test in Bihar since Nitish Kumar’s return to the NDA fold. While the alliance appears stable, the ground reality is far from simple.
The caste arithmetic is complex, with powerful regional players like RJD, JD(U), and LJP jockeying for claim. Seat-sharing within NDA will stress internal alignment. Anti-incumbency against existing governments, unmet promises, local issues like law & order, employment, infrastructure will weigh heavily.
Alliance and Ground Connect: In August 2025, Pradhan visited Bihar and met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to discuss development priorities and the restoration of Bihar’s “historical importance.” The meeting signaled renewed cooperation between NDA partners and laid the groundwork for a coordinated campaign.
What’s Next: Sources say Pradhan will soon begin statewide tours, meeting local leaders and assessing booth-level preparedness. With his deep understanding of Bihar’s political pulse and proven organisational acumen, the BJP hopes to turn the 2025 Assembly polls into a showcase of its governance and electoral strength.
