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Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
As Tej Pratap Yadav eyes Bihar polls, a look at his coalition of five small parties
Expelled RJD leader and ex-Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav, elder son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, has announced his alliance with five minor parties ahead of the state Assembly elections due in barely three months. This partnership, he said, could 'challenge Bihar's established political order' by bringing about 'social justice, social rights, and comprehensive change'. Tej Pratap's appeal lies primarily among a section of Yadav voters and among those 'disillusioned' with mainstream politics. His religious imagery, temple visits, and claims of being a 'spiritual leader' also resonate with voters. After his ouster from the RJD, the fanbase that Tej Pratap had managed to garner will go through a fire test in the Mahua constituency from where he is contesting as an Independent in the Assembly polls. Tej Pratap's alliance might influence a few constituencies where the five parties have their core support bases. This may split the Opposition votes for the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan and help the ruling Nitish Kumar-led NDA in tight contests. However, none of the five parties have significant grassroots networks, established booth-level presence, or substantial financial resources and will have to be mostly dependent on Tej Pratap's leadership. Here is a look at the five parties: Vikas Vanchit Insaan Party (VVIP) The most prominent among Tej Pratap's new allies is Pradeep Nishad, who heads the newly-formed VVIP. Nishad, also known as 'Helicopter Baba', was once a close associate of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani. Due to differences, allegedly over 'not getting due respect in the party', Nishad, a native of UP's Mirzapur, left the VIP around 2021. He has formed the VVIP this year. Launched on June 28 and subsequently allotted 'ship' as its election symbol, the VVIP aims to represent the Nishad-Mallah community, traditionally associated with fishing and riverine occupation-based groups, which are currently represented by Sahani's party. During the August 5 press conference held to announce their coalition, Tej Pratap expressed strong support for Nishad and described his outfit as the 'original' party. He alleged that an 'impostor' was running the VIP, who is currently a Mahagathbandhan ally. 'Mukesh Sahani is a bahurupiya (imposter) who has betrayed the community's trust,' Nishad had alleged at an earlier event, referring to Sahani's crossovers between the NDA and the INDIA bloc. The VVIP's emergence may lead to a split in the crucial Nishad vote, which constitutes about 4-8% of Bihar's electorate. The Nishad community has a significant presence in Araria, Forbesganj, and some seats in the Kosi-Seemanchal region. Bhojpuria Jan Morcha The Bhojpuria Jan Morcha led by Bharat Singh 'Sahyogi' started off as an organisation and became a party in 2023. It claims to champion the cause of Bhojpuri-speaking communities in the Bhojpur-Rohtas belt. Bharat Singh has argued that the Bhojpuri culture and identity have been 'systematically marginalised' in Bihar politics and has been actively working for the Bhojpuri community for years. His party had earlier announced its plans to contest all 243 seats in the Bihar Assembly polls. Singh's activism for the Bhojpuri communities has helped his party garner influence in some areas. Pragatisheel Janata Party The Pragatisheel Janta Party, which has been a registered party since 2019, positions itself as a voice for agricultural workers and unemployed youth. Its founder Manoranjan Kumar Srivastav had contested the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections from Chapra constituency but managed to secure only 282 votes. Wajib Adhikar Party Vidyanand Ram, the founder of the Wajib Adhikar Party, told The Indian Express that his party was registered with the Election Commission in August, 2017. 'I contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Samastipur in 2019, and also the bypoll in the seat when its sitting MP Ram Chandra Paswan passed away,' Ram said. He added that his party contested from six seats in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections and four seats in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, although it drew a blank in these polls. On his party's new alliance, Ram said: 'Tej Pratap ji is a big face, big politician and a person of big heart.' Sanyukt Kisan Vikas Party Founded by Sudhir Kumar, the Sanyukt Kisan Vikas Party, which had unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, claims to represent small and marginal farmers like sharecroppers. Kumar contested from the Nalanda seat in the 2020 Assembly polls and managed to secure the third place with a total of 25,291 votes.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Legacy of U-turns: Timeline of Nitish Kumar's alliance shifts over a decade
With Bihar elections due in late 2025, speculation mounts over whether the state's longest-serving chief minister, Nitish Kumar, will stay the course with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) or rewrite political equations yet again. Once hailed as a governance reformer and now equally known for his alliance U-turns, Kumar has, over three decades, shaped—and reshaped—Bihar's politics through a string of strategic shifts between the NDA, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD-led alliances. The man once hailed as 'Sushasan Babu' is now equally known for his alliance acrobatics. From 1994 to 2025, Nitish has rewritten coalition logic in Bihar—and, at times, reshaped national politics. Here's a look back at the flipbook of flips that defined his career—and what it could mean for Bihar in 2025. Why it matters Nitish Kumar's frequent alliance shifts aren't just a Bihar story—they've disrupted national opposition strategies, unsettled BJP-Congress dynamics, and altered the arithmetic of anti-BJP coalitions. In Bihar, each realignment resets governance priorities and voter trust. To some, Kumar is a master strategist navigating fractured mandates; to others, an opportunist looking to seize power at every turn. Either way, his next move could once again reshape both state and national politics. Who is Nitish Kumar? Born in 1951 in Bakhtiyarpur near Patna, Nitish Kumar entered politics during the JP Movement of the 1970s. A qualified electrical engineer, he was first elected to the Bihar Assembly in 1985 and soon rose to national prominence. By the 1990s, he was a central figure in the post-Mandal political order, aligning with George Fernandes to form the Samata Party—a precursor to today's Janata Dal (United), or JD(U). A career of realignments Nitish Kumar's first brush with power came through his association with Lalu Prasad Yadav during the JP Movement in the 1970s. Their partnership, forged in student politics, brought Yadav to power in 1990 with Kumar's backing. But in 1994, the alliance fractured. Citing concerns over Lalu's growing control of the Janata Dal, Kumar and George Fernandes formed the Samata Party, marking the beginning of Kumar's independent political journey. By 2000, Kumar aligned with the BJP, briefly becoming chief minister. Though that government lasted just seven days, it set the stage for a more stable NDA regime in 2005. The alliance won re-election in 2010, riding on Kumar's image as a governance-focused leader who had improved law and order and launched schemes for marginalised groups like Mahadalits and EBCs. The first break: 2013 In 2013, Kumar severed ties with the BJP after Narendra Modi became the head of the party's campaign committee and was declared its prime ministerial candidate. Calling for a 'Sangh-mukt Bharat,' he said the BJP's leadership no longer reflected the secular image the NDA once held. ' Mitti mein mil jaayenge, BJP ke saath wapas nahi jaayenge (We will perish but won't join forces with BJP again),' he famously declared. The JD(U) continued briefly with outside support from the Congress and CPI, but Kumar resigned as CM in 2014 following the party's Lok Sabha losses. Mahagathbandhan and its collapse In 2015, Nitish Kumar returned as CM with backing from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) party and Congress under the Mahagathbandhan banner. The alliance swept the Assembly elections, defeating the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (nda). But in July 2017, amid allegations against then Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, Kumar resigned and returned to the NDA. The move drew sharp criticism, with the RJD calling it a betrayal and accusing Kumar of using the corruption probe as a pretext. Tensions within the NDA The BJP-JD(U) alliance persisted through the 2020 elections, though the JD(U)'s reduced seat tally. partly attributed to Lok Janshakti Party rebel candidates, soured relations. Less than two years into his term, Nitish Kumar once again resigned in August 2022, accusing the BJP of trying to destabilise his party and government. He stitched together a fresh alliance with RJD, Congress and Left parties—returning as CM for the eighth time, with Tejashwi Yadav as deputy. His re-entry into the opposition camp was seen as a national move. He hosted the first INDIA bloc meeting in Patna in 2023. At the time, he was regarded as a potential convenor of the alliance, even fuelling quiet speculation about his prime ministerial ambitions. RJD leader Shivanand Tiwary summed up the Grand Alliance's view: 'If Nitish chooses to dump NDA, what choice do we have except to embrace him?' January 2024: Return to NDA again On January 28, 2024, Nitish Kumar joined the BJP-led NDA again, marking his third formal tie-up with the party since 2000. The immediate impact was political disarray within the INDIA alliance, of which Kumar had become a key figure. His exit followed Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress announcing its decision to go solo in West Bengal. According to Business Standard 's editorial on January 29, Kumar's return to the NDA 'may not change the fortunes of Bihar,' but it effectively 'spells the decimation' of INDIA. The editorial also highlighted internal tensions, including the Congress's failure to consult key allies before launching the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. While critics saw Kumar's moves as driven by political expediency, supporters argue they reflect a realism about regional and caste dynamics. The BJP, for its part, responded with tactical moves—appointing deputy chief ministers from Koeri and Bhumihar communities and affirming commitment to caste inclusion. Assembly elections overview The Bihar Legislative Assembly is made up of 243 seats. In the 2020 Assembly elections, the NDA led by the BJP and JD(U), along with partners like VIP and HAM(S), secured a slim majority with 125 seats. The Mahagathbandhan (RJD–Congress–Left parties) captured 110 seats, with the RJD emerging as the single largest party at 75 seats, closely followed by the BJP at 74 seats, and the JD(U) winning 43. What next for Nitish Kumar? Despite his age and repeated suggestions of grooming Tejashwi Yadav as his successor, few are willing to write off Kumar's ability to surprise. As Bihar heads toward elections in 2025, the central question remains: Will Nitish Kumar remain with the NDA, or is another pivot still possible? Timeline: Nitish Kumar's alliance shifts 1994: Broke from Lalu Prasad Yadav's Janata Dal and founded the Samata Party with George Fernandes. 2000 (March): Became chief minister for the first time, backed by the BJP-led NDA; the government lasted just 7 days. 2003: Formation of Janata Dal (United) through a merger of the Samata Party, Lok Shakti, and a faction of Janata Dal; remained in alliance with the NDA. 2005 & 2010: Won two consecutive full terms as CM in alliance with the BJP, establishing himself as a governance-focused leader. 2013 (June): Split from the NDA after Narendra Modi was named BJP's prime ministerial candidate; distanced himself over ideological concerns and moved toward forming a new alliance. 2014 (May): Resigned after JD(U)'s poor performance in the general elections; Jitan Ram Manjhi briefly took over as CM. 2015 (February): Returned as CM after internal party dissent; later that year, the JD(U), RJD, and Congress formed the Mahagathbandhan, which won the Assembly elections. 2017 (July): Exited the Mahagathbandhan amid corruption charges against RJD leaders and rejoined the NDA; began his sixth term as CM. 2020: Re-elected as CM with NDA support, though the BJP won more seats than JD(U), altering the power balance within the alliance. 2022 (August): Broke ties with the NDA again, accusing the BJP of undermining allies; rejoined the RJD, Congress, and Left parties to form another Mahagathbandhan government—his eighth term. 2024 (January): Left the Mahagathbandhan once more and rejoined the NDA, forming a new government—his ninth term as chief minister.
Indian Express
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Voter deletions in Bihar draft rolls: 4 lakhs in Patna district to 26,256 in Sheikhpura
Bihar's draft electoral rolls published by the Election Commission (EC) as part of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise shows that more than 65 lakh voters have been dropped, which include about 22 lakh deceased, 7 lakh enrolled at multiple places, and 36 lakh electors who have either migrated permanently or were untraceable. Of the existing 7.89 crore voters as on June 24, 2025, when the EC announced the countrywide SIR starting with Bihar, 7.24 crore voters submitted their enumeration forms, according to the poll body. An analysis of the poll-bound state's draft electoral rolls indicates that the top 10 districts reporting maximum number of deletion of voters include Patna (3,95,500 voters), Madhubani (3,52,545), East Champaran (3,16,793), Gopalganj (3,10,363), Samastipur (2,83,955), Muzaffarpur (2,82,845), Saran (2,73,223), Gaya (2,45,663), Vaishali (2,25,953), and Darbhanga (2,03,315). The 10 districts which have seen lowest voter deletions include Sheikhpura (26,256), Sheohar (28,166), Arwal (30,180), Lakhisarai (48,824) Jahanabad (53,089), Kaimur (73,940), Munger (74,916), Khagaria (79,551), Buxar (87,645), and Jamui (91,882). 'Those who have grievances can approach electoral officers for any claims and objections to be submitted between August 1 and September 1,' said an EC official. The Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region in east Bihar has seen 2,73,920 voters deleted from Purnea district, 1,58,072 from Araria, 1,45,668 from Kishanganj, and 1,84,254 from Katihar. The AIMIM's Bihar spokesperson Adil Hasan Azad told The Indian Express: 'We have been creating awareness among the Seemanchal voters about the SIR process. The booth level agents (BLAs) of the Opposition parties have been also active on ground. Voters of this region have applied for residential certificates in bigger number than other places as many people did not have other documents out of the 11 sought by the EC for the SIR (for those whose names were not on the 2003 voters' list).' The RJD-led Opposition Mahagathbandhan said they would closely track the SIR's second phase of claims and objections to see if it has followed 'due process of voter deletions'. RJD leader and Buxar MP Sudhakar Singh said: 'We have serious doubts on EC's pruning of electoral rolls. We will soon get the numbers of claims and objections from voters, which could be overwhelming. Our BLAs are on the job.' CPI (ML) Liberation office secretary Kumar Parvez told The Indian Express: 'We are holding public hearings. We are also getting calls from some migrants who have not shifted permanently. By mid-August, we would get to know whether the EC has deleted a significant number of genuine voters as well.' The Mahagathbandhan has slammed the EC for not sharing the list of the 65 lakh deleted voters. Several electors have complained about their names being excluded from the draft rolls despite submitting their enumeration forms. As the EC has increased the number of booths, many voters have been shifted to booths different from their exiting ones, leading to their scramble in search of their names in the rolls. A section of them are also meeting their booth level officers (BLOs) to check the physical list. Kumar Parvez said, 'EC did not agree to share with us the list of dead and permanently shifted. It is humongous task for BLAs to cross-check voters in each booth on basis of draft rolls. The EC has put the onus on us. Those left out from the rolls would have a harrowing time during the claims and objection period'. RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari echoed his views, saying 'We are going to hold jan sunvai (public hearing) soon to compile voters' grievances'. RJD leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, while addressing a press conference in Patna Saturday, claimed that he could not find his name in the rolls by using his voter card (EPIC) number. Subsequently, the Patna district administration issued a statement, pointing out that his name is listed as a voter 'in polling station no. 204 in Bihar Animal Science University's Library Building (in the Digha Assembly segment), at serial number 416', which, it added, was previously listed 'in polling station no. 171 in Bihar Animal Science University's Library Building, at serial number 481'. EC sources said, 'Tejaswi Prasad Yadav used electoral roll with EPIC no. RAB0456228 for filing his nomination papers on affidavit in 2020. His name is there in the draft electoral rolls… His baseless argument that his name was removed has already been refuted.' EC sources also said, 'He (Tejashwi) was having this EPIC number even in the electoral roll in 2015… The other EPIC number RAB2916120 (cited by Tejashwi) has been found to be non-existing. More than ten years old records have been checked. No records have been found for the second EPIC number yet. It is highly likely that the second EPIC was never made through official channel. Further inquiries are on to understand the reality of the second EPIC number, whether that is a forged document.'
Time of India
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Oppn seeks answers from EC as65L names dropped from rolls
1 2 Patna: The RJD-led opposition on Friday alleged that the Election Commission (EC) failed to provide satisfactory answers to the queries raised during a meeting held after the release of the draft electoral rolls for the state's 243 assembly constituencies. The EC had convened a meeting with representatives of recognised political parties in Bihar to share copies of the draft rolls and seek their suggestions and feedback. During the meeting, representatives of the INDIA bloc asked the EC to explain the basis on which names had been deleted from the voter list published in Jan this year. RJD spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan said, "The EC had no satisfactory answer about the basis on which it was determined that the people whose names were removed were dead, had moved to another place, were registered in more than one location or whose whereabouts were unknown." Gagan added that the law clearly stipulates that if a voter's name is to be removed from the list, the person must be served a notice. "This procedure was not followed in the case of 65 lakh voters whose names have now been deleted," he said. Opposition leaders also questioned the EC on how many foreign nationals' names and addresses had been detected on the rolls and how many people had been included in the draft list without submitting any of the eleven officially notified documents. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why Seniors Are Snapping Up This TV Box, We Explain! Techno Mag Learn More Undo They claimed such cases numbered in the lakhs. Those present at the meeting included RJD state general secretary Madan Sharma, office in-charge and general secretary Mukund Singh, CPI(ML)'s Kumar Parvez, Congress leaders Munan Ji and Sanjay Bharti, JD(U)'s Anil Kumar and representatives of the BJP and other parties. The opposition delegation submitted a formal list of questions to the EC, seeking clarification on several issues. These included how many voters were informed during the list revision process, the criteria for deleting names of untraceable or deceased voters and a request for access to the 2003 electoral roll for comparative verification.
Hindustan Times
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
The rumble in Bihar NDA
The late Ramvilas Paswan, founder of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), used to be described as the weathervane of Indian politics. His political shifts reflected changes in voter preferences, it was said. Has Chirag Paswan, chief of Paswan's party and an important member of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), inherited his father's political intelligence as well, that he is sensing a rumble in Bihar ahead of the assembly polls and wants to stay clear of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar? On Sunday, Chirag Paswan said, 'I feel sad that I am supporting a government where crime has become rampant.' He also added that 'the administration has a hand in it, or it is trying to cover up these incidents, or it has become completely ineffective'. The Union minister spoke against the backdrop of a series of violent crimes in Bihar, including multiple high-profile murders in Patna. On Thursday, a young woman who fainted while attending a recruitment for home guards in Bodh Gaya was allegedly gang-raped inside the ambulance that was ferrying her to a hospital. Nitish Kumar's party, the Janata Dal (United), has claimed that the situation is not as bad as critics make it out to be. But the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data indicate that the number of crimes in Bihar rose by 78% between 2015 and 2022 (the last year for which NCRB data is available), when it had increased by 24% at the national level. Bihar was among the 10 worst states in terms of overall cases of crimes from 2020 to 2022, with its rank rising from ninth in 2020 to seventh in 2022. To be sure, absolute numbers are high also because Bihar is a large state — it is the third most populous state in India (Census 2011). The perception that law and order in Bihar has deteriorated is gaining ground — which is why Chirag Paswan's remarks will hurt the NDA, and particularly, the JD(U). One, law and order has been a key campaign issue of Nitish Kumar, who once went by the moniker, Sushasan (good governance) Babu. The NDA has contrasted Nitish Kumar's tenure with the record of Lalu Prasad and his wife, Rabri Devi, in office (1990-2005), which it describes as jungle raj. Two, Nitish, after 20 years in office, is battling anti-incumbency and any dissonance in the NDA will hurt his prospects. The NDA won in 2020 with the narrowest of leads — its vote share was just 0.03% more than that of its rival, the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan. More importantly, the LJP, which contested on its own, polled over 5% votes, and targeted the JD(U), which lost 28 seats. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the overall law and order situation in Bihar under Nitish Kumar has improved, but electoral politics is as much influenced by perceptions as it is by tactics and social alliances. Chirag Paswan, who has been open about his ambitions in Bihar politics, may have spotted an undercurrent that the JD(U) missed.
