Tej Pratap Yadav eyes Bengal after Bihar setback, JJD plans poll entry

Attempting to expand his political reach beyond Bihar after a disappointing electoral performance at home, Tej Pratap Yadav has announced that his party, the Janshakti Janta Dal (JJD), will contest the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal.

Speaking to reporters in Patna, the JJD chief said the party is preparing its strategy and will soon decide whether it will contest independently or form alliances with other political parties. He also indicated that he plans to visit West Bengal before finalising the constituencies where the party will field candidates.

Tej Pratap’s announcement comes months after his newly formed party struggled to make an impact in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections . The JJD fielded candidates in several constituencies but failed to win a single seat , securing only a small share of the vote. Yadav himself contested from the Mahua constituency but was defeated, highlighting the organisational challenges faced by the fledgling party.

Despite the setback, Tej Pratap has continued efforts to expand the party’s presence. Political observers say the decision to enter West Bengal may be an attempt to reposition the party and test its appeal outside Bihar .

On the question of alliances, Yadav did not specify any partner for the Bengal polls. His statement has triggered speculation over whether the party could align with the ruling All India Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee or seek an understanding with the Bharatiya Janata Party, the principal opposition force in the state. However, no formal alliance discussions have been confirmed so far .

In West Bengal, political analysts believe the JJD’s immediate impact may be limited. The state’s political landscape is largely dominated by the intense contest between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP , leaving little electoral space for smaller or newly formed parties.

For Tej Pratap, who was expelled from the Rashtriya Janata Dal by his father and party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav last year following personal controversies, the Bengal venture represents both a political gamble and an attempt to rebuild his independent identity .

Whether this move translates into meaningful political traction in West Bengal remains uncertain, but it clearly signals that Tej Pratap Yadav is determined to keep his political ambitions alive beyond Bihar .