Bihar Elections 2025: It’s not oftern that a Google search for a politician leads you to an ESPNcricinfo page. But Tejashwi Yadav, before becoming one of Bihar’s most prominent political faces, once dreamed not of power corridors but of cricketing glory. A right-arm spinner and middle-order batsman, he spent four seasons with the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL — though he never got to play a match. Eventually, politics, not cricket, became his true calling.
After weeks of speculation and internal friction within the Opposition’s INDIA bloc in Bihar, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader was finally declared the coalition’s chief ministerial candidate on Thursday (October 23). Political commentators say this was always a matter of “when”, not “if”. Tejashwi, 35, had long emerged as the natural choice to lead the Mahagathbandhan’s challenge against Nitish Kumar’s 15-year rule.
Born on November 9, 1989, just four months before his father Lalu Prasad Yadav first became Bihar’s chief minister. Tejashwi is the youngest of nine siblings. In many ways, his journey mirrors Bihar’s political evolution — from dynasty politics to the new-age, social media-driven narrative of jobs and governance.
Political debut
When he first appeared before the media from the RJD office about 15 years ago, few took him seriously. A young man still finding his footing, Tejashwi announced his intent to join politics after hanging up his cricket dreams. According to Indian Express, he brought on Sanjay Yadav — now his closest political aide — and began learning the ropes of the family trade. His official political debut came in 2015 when he contested from the family bastion of Raghopur in Vaishali. He defeated the BJP candidate Satish Kumar who received 68,503 votes. Tejashwi’s victory margin was 22,733 votes in that election.
That victory catapulted him to the post of Deputy Chief Minister in Nitish Kumar’s government. In his brief 17-month tenure, Tejashwi made a mark as road construction minister — young, confident and surprisingly articulate for a political rookie. However, the alliance collapsed in 2017 after Nitish switched sides, citing corruption allegations against Tejashwi.
Tejashwi rises as LoP
After the setback of 2017, Tejashwi grew into his role of Leader of the Opposition. He took on Nitish’s government with a mix of aggression and calculated restraint. The RJD leader’s breakthrough came in the 2020 Assembly elections when he almost toppled the NDA. He led a spirited campaign centered on employment in that election. The RJD’s slogan of 10 lakh jobs resonated deeply with Bihar’s restless youth and established Tejashwi as the state’s foremost opposition voice.
In his second stint as Deputy CM (2022–24), Tejashwi pushed Nitish to deliver on employment promises. This resulted in over five lakh government appointments — a political coup of sorts that gave Tejashwi credibility beyond rhetoric. Even after Nitish’s latest return to the NDA fold, Tejashwi has kept the focus on jobs and development. He has countered the BJP’s “jungle raj” accusations by pointing to crime statistics and governance lapses under the current dispensation.
Several reports indicate that Tejashwi is well aware of the steep challenge ahead. He is not just facing the entrenched NDA machinery but also public skepticism born from his father’s legacy. Yet, 2020 remains his motivation.
Tejashwi Yadav today represents a generational shift in Bihar politics, one where old loyalties meet new aspirations. From the cricket field to the political battlefield, he has learned that timing, patience and strategy can change the game. “We are not in a rush to come to power (in the upcoming 2025 polls). Ideology should remain top priority. Even in cricket, you have to have patience. You don’t have to go on the ball to hit; let the ball come to you and then hit,” he said in an interview on Unfiltered by Samdish on Youtube.
What is Tejashwi Yadav’s net worth?
According to his affidavit to the election commission, his family’s total assets are valued at Rs 8.98 crore, including jewellery worth nearly Rs 87 lakh. He has declared 18 criminal cases against him, with four under appeal. A Class 9 dropout, he doesn’t own a car but commands a loyal cadre and growing national attention.
His wife, Rajshree (Rachel Iris Godinho) and their two daughters, Katyayani Irish Yadav and Iraj Lalu Yadav, often stay out of the public eye.
In 2024, defying injury and fatigue, he crisscrossed Bihar and undertook 251 rallies in 57 days, 92 meetings and 160 interviews, party’s spokesperson Priyanka Bharti wrote in an article for The Wire. His energetic campaign blunted the perception of inevitability around Nitish’s return to power.
As the Mahagathbandhan’s chosen face, his next innings might just be his most defining one yet.