Warisnagar, a block-level town in Bihar's Samastipur district, serves as an assembly constituency of the Samastipur Lok Sabha seat. Located in the Gangetic plains, it benefits from the nearby Kamla and Koshi rivers which provide fertile land ideal for farming. Agriculture forms the backbone of Warisnagar's economy, with rice, wheat, maize and pulses as primary crops. The region also produces vegetables including potato, onion, tomato, eggplant and cauliflower, while Rohua village in Warisnagar block is renowned for tobacco cultivation. Dairy farming contributes significantly to the local economy, with an estimated 60 to 70 percent of Warisnagar's population engaged in agricultural activities.
The district headquarters Samastipur lies 10 km away, with other nearby towns being Dalsinghsarai (25 km), Rosera (35 km), Begusarai (55 km) and the divisional headquarters Darbhanga (65 km). The state capital Patna is approximately 108 km from Warisnagar.
Established in 1951, the Warisnagar Assembly constituency comprises Warisnagar and Khanpur community development blocks along with six gram panchayats of Shivaji Nagar block, forming one of six segments of the Samastipur Lok Sabha seat.
In the 2020 Assembly elections, Warisnagar had 322,259 registered voters, with Scheduled Castes constituting 19.11 percent and Muslims 12.50 percent of the electorate. This increased to 334,383 registered voters in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The 2020 voter turnout stood at 59.01 percent, slightly lower than in previous elections.
The constituency features a significant population of Koeri and Kurmi voters who extensively influence election outcomes. Notably, the two largest parties in the outgoing Bihar Legislative Assembly – BJP and RJD – maintain a minimal presence here. After four unsuccessful attempts, the RJD ceased contesting after 2010, opting to support allies instead. Similarly, the BJP withdrew after its second defeat in October 2005, supporting allies like JD(U) and LJP. The Congress, which won only once in 1972, also exited Warisnagar's electoral politics following repeated defeats, including instances where its candidates forfeited security deposits. The CPI too abandoned contesting here after consistent rejection by voters. This vacuum enabled regional parties to dominate Warisnagar's political landscape.
Of the 17 Assembly elections held since its inception (including two by-elections), the JD(U) has won four times, with LJP and Janata Dal securing three victories each. The Janata Party and Samyukta Socialist Party won twice each, while the Socialist Party, Congress and an Independent candidate have each won once.
Regional parties began their dominance in 2000 when JD(U) first won the seat. This was followed by three consecutive LJP victories before JD(U) returned to win the last three elections. Ashok Kumar of JD(U) has held the seat since 2010, though his victory margin reduced to 13,801 votes in 2021 from 58,573 votes in 2015 due to LJP's presence as a third party securing 12.60 percent votes.
With JD(U) and LJP(RV) now reconciled within the BJP-led NDA, the alliance appears poised to retain Warisnagar in the 2025 Assembly polls. This was indicated during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when LJP(RV)'s candidate for the Samastipur parliamentary seat led by 33,342 votes in the Warisnagar Assembly segment.
(Ajay Jha)
