The Congress party dominated the early decades, winning eight of the first 10 elections. Its winning streak was interrupted only twice, by the Communist Party of India in 1967 and the Janata Party in 1977. The Janata Dal and Samata Party, now known as JD(U), won the seat in 1995 and 2000, respectively. The Lok Janshakti Party claimed both the February and October elections held in 2005.
Among individuals, Md. Hidaytullah Khan stands out as a towering figure. He won the seat four times for the Congress party, in 1972 and then consecutively in 1980, 1985, and 1990. He also served as a minister and Speaker of the Bihar Assembly, leaving a lasting imprint on the constituency’s political history.
In recent years, the BJP’s Krishnanandan Paswan has emerged as a key player. He won the seat in 2010 and again in 2020, defeating RJD’s Kumar Nagendra by 15,685 votes in the latter. Paswan had earlier defeated RJD’s Surendra Kumar in 2010 with a margin of 18,064 votes. However, in 2015, he was defeated by RJD’s Rajendra Kumar by 10,267 votes. These outcomes reflect JD(U)’s quiet but decisive role in influencing the results. It was aligned with the BJP in 2010 and 2020, and with RJD in 2015. Notably, RJD has changed its nominee in every election since the seat became reserved.
In recent years, the BJP’s Krishnanandan Paswan has emerged as a key player. He won the seat in 2010 and again in 2020, defeating RJD’s Kumar Nagendra by 15,685 votes in the latter. Paswan had earlier defeated RJD’s Surendra Kumar in 2010 with a margin of 18,064 votes. However, in 2015, he was defeated by RJD’s Rajendra Kumar by 10,267 votes. These outcomes underscore JD(U)’s silent but significant role in shaping the results. It was aligned with the BJP in 2010 and 2020, and with RJD in 2015. Interestingly, RJD has changed its nominee in every election since the seat became reserved.
The 2024 parliamentary elections brought a surprise. While BJP’s Radha Mohan Singh won the Purvi Champaran Lok Sabha seat for the seventh time, he trailed behind his Vikasheel Insaan Party rival Rajesh Kushwaha in the Harsidhi Assembly segment. This result has given the RJD-led opposition alliance a glimmer of hope for the 2025 Assembly elections, provided it can unify its ranks, present a compelling narrative, and field a strong candidate.
Harsidhi had 267,915 registered voters in the 2020 Assembly elections, including 43,349 Scheduled Caste voters and 49,564 Muslim voters. It was a purely rural constituency with no urban voters. One of its standout features has been consistently high voter turnout, which has consistently hovered above 60 percent. The turnout in 2020 was 63.56 percent, the lowest in recent years. The number of registered voters increased to 278,101 in the 2024 parliamentary polls.
The terrain of Harsidhi is flat and fertile, typical of north Bihar. The Gandak River flows nearby, supporting agriculture but also posing flood risks during the monsoon. Farming remains the backbone of the local economy, with paddy, wheat, and pulses being the main crops. However, irrigation infrastructure is inadequate, and dependence on rainfall continues. There are no major industries in the region, and public services such as healthcare and education remain underdeveloped. Migration to cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Surat is common among the working-age population.
Harsidhi is located about 25 km from Motihari, the district headquarters, and roughly 60 km from Raxaul, the border town with Nepal. Muzaffarpur, a major urban centre in north Bihar, is around 85 km to the southwest. Patna, the state capital, lies approximately 165 km from Harsidhi.
Despite the BJP’s recent successes, the 2024 parliamentary setback and the constituency’s history of shifting loyalties suggest that the 2025 Assembly election could be a closely contested one. The RJD-led alliance may find an opening here, but only if it can overcome internal challenges and present a united front.
(Ajay Jha)
