1995 Bihar Legislative Assembly election

{{Short description|Election in India}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1995 Bihar Legislative assembly election

| country = India

| flag_year =

| type = Legislative

| ongoing = no

| party_colour =

| previous_election = 1990 Bihar Legislative Assembly election

| previous_year = 1990

| next_election = 2000 Bihar Legislative Assembly election

| next_year = 2000

| election_date =25 and 28 March 1995

| seats_for_election = All 324 seats of the Bihar Legislative Assembly

| majority_seats = 163

| turnout =61.79%

| party1 = Janata Dal

| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image=The Union Minister for Railways, Shri Lalu Prasad addressing the Media to announce a policy matter in New Delhi on September 12, 2004.jpg|bSize=110|cWidth=100|cHeight=120|oLeft=10|oTop=04}}

| leader1 = Lalu Prasad Yadav

| leader_since1 = 1990

| leaders_seat1 = Raghopur, Danapur

| last_election1 = 122

| seats1 = 167

| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 45

| popular_vote1 = 9,669,589

| percentage1 = 27.98%

| swing1 = {{increase}} 2.37%

| party2 = Bharatiya Janata Party

| leader2 = Yashwant Sinha

| image2 = {{CSS image crop|Image=Yashwant Sinha - World Economic Forum on East Asia 2008 (cropped).jpg|bSize=110|cWidth=100|cHeight=120|oLeft=10|oTop=04}}

| leader_since2 = 1995

| leaders_seat2 = Ranchi

| last_election2 = 39

| seats2 = 41

| seat_change2 = {{increase}} 2

| popular_vote2 = 4,480,363

| percentage2 = 12.96%

| swing2 = {{increase}} 1.35%

| party4 = Indian National Congress (I)

| image4 = {{CSS image crop|Image=|bSize=110|cWidth=100|cHeight=120|oLeft=10|oTop=04}}

| leader4 = Jagannath Mishra

| leader_since4 = 1989

| leaders_seat4 = Did not contest

| last_election4 = 71

| seats4 = 29

| seat_change4 = {{decrease}} 42

| popular_vote4 = 5,622,952

| percentage4 = 16.27%

| swing4 = {{decrease}} 8.51%

| party5 = Communist Party of India

| image5 = 100px

| leader5 = Indrajit Gupta

| leader_since5 = 1990

| leaders_seat5 = Did not contest

| last_election5 = 23

| seats5 = 26

| seat_change5 = {{increase}} 3

| popular_vote5 = 1,645,765

| percentage5 = 4.76%

| swing5 = {{decrease}} 1.83%

| map_image =

| map_size =

| map_caption =

| title = CM

| before_election = Lalu Prasad

| before_party = Janata Dal

| after_election = Lalu Prasad

| after_party = Janata Dal

}}

The 11th Bihar Legislative Assembly elections were held in March 1995, to elect the 324 members of the Bihar Legislative Assembly. Janata Dal got a decisive victory in the state; political manoeuvre ensured Lalu Prasad Yadav's victory in the chief ministership.[http://www.elections.in/bihar/assembly-constituencies/1995-election-results.html Bihar Legislative Assembly Election in 1995 Party Wise] According to political scientist Sanjay Kumar, this election set a different trend in caste based politics of the state of Bihar, as in this election, there were two main political blocs in the state contesting for power. The either side of this power struggle was led by Backward Castes. It was the election in which the Forward Castes were pushed to margins in the politics of state.{{cite journal|last=Kumar|first= Sanjay|title="New Phase in Backward Caste Politics in Bihar: Janata Dal on the Decline."|journal=Economic and Political Weekly| volume= 34|issue= 34/35|year=1999|pages=2472–80|JSTOR=4408343}}

In 1997, due to allegation related to Fodder Scam, a leadership revolt surfaced in Janata Dal, consequently Lalu broke away from Janata Dal and formed a new political party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).{{Cite web |title=Rediff On The NeT: UF heaves a sigh of relief; Gujral pleased as Laloo catches critics napping |url=https://m.rediff.com/news/jul/25laloo1.htm |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=m.rediff.com}} He handed over the reins of Bihar to his wife Rabri Devi to ensure his de facto rule, who won the trust vote with support from Rashtriya Janata Dal (136), the Congress (28), the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (S), the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (M), the Jharkhand People's Party (20) and independents (10).{{Cite web |title=Rediff On The NeT: Rabri Devi wins trust vote |url=https://m.rediff.com/news/jul/28rabri.htm |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=m.rediff.com}}