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By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

From legacy to leadership

Samrat Choudhary's ascent reflects legacy, caste dynamics, and political shifts Patna:  The rise of Samrat Choudhary in Bihar's political landscape is not merely the story of an individual's success, but a reflection of a long political tradition, evolving social equations, and shifting power dynamics over time. Following his election as the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party's legislative wing, his elevation to the chief minister's office appears almost certain, which is marking a decisive...

From legacy to leadership

Samrat Choudhary's ascent reflects legacy, caste dynamics, and political shifts Patna:  The rise of Samrat Choudhary in Bihar's political landscape is not merely the story of an individual's success, but a reflection of a long political tradition, evolving social equations, and shifting power dynamics over time. Following his election as the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party's legislative wing, his elevation to the chief minister's office appears almost certain, which is marking a decisive milestone in a political journey spanning more than three and half decades. Over the years, his political journey traversed multiple parties, including the Congress, Samata Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United), and Hindustani Awam Morcha. His name did surface in a high-profile criminal case in 1995, though he was later acquitted due to lack of evidence. Samrat Choudhary's mother Parvati Devi was also politically active and was elected as an MLA from Tarapur in a 1998 by-election. Among his siblings, Rohit Choudhary is associated with the JD(U) and is active in the education sector, while Dharmendra Choudhary is engaged in social work. His wife, Mamta Kumari, has also been actively involved during election campaigns. The family includes a son Pranay and a daughter Charu Priya. Choudhary entered active politics in 1990, beginning his career with the RJD. In 1999, he became Agriculture Minister in the Rabri Devi government, though his appointment was mired in controversy over his age, eventually forcing him to step down. He later parted ways with the RJD, moved to the JD(U), and ultimately joined the BJP. Since 2018, his stature within the BJP has steadily grown, culminating in his appointment as the party's Bihar state president in 2022. Controversy Man With the beginning of his new innings in the BJP, Choudhary once again found himself in the spotlight, this time over questions surrounding his educational qualifications. Allegations regarding the validity of the degree mentioned in his election affidavit became part of political discourse. The opposition, particularly Prashant Kishor, raised the issue forcefully during the elections. However, the controversy failed to gain substantive traction and remained confined to political rhetoric, with no significant impact on electoral outcomes. Hailing from the Tarapur region of Munger district, Choudhary's identity is deeply rooted in this region. Historically influential, the region has provided a strong social and political base for both him and his family. Belonging to the Kushwaha (Koeri) community, he represents a crucial social base in Bihar's caste equations. This makes his role significant in the 'Lav-Kush' (Kurmi-Koeri) political dynamic that has shaped the state's politics for decades. Sharp Turns Choudhary's political journey has been marked by sharp turns and contradictions. At one stage, he was among the fiercest critics of Nitish Kumar, even declaring that he would not remove his traditional 'Muraitha' (a kind of turban) until Kumar was unseated from power. Yet, as political equations shifted, Choudhary not only consolidated his position within the BJP but also emerged as a key figure in power-sharing arrangements with Nitish Kumar. After 2020, when Sushil Kumar Modi was moved to national politics, new opportunities opened up for Choudhary. He became a member of the Legislative Council, later served as Leader of the Opposition, and eventually rose to become state president. His political stature further expanded when, following Nitish Kumar's return to the NDA, Choudhary was entrusted with the dual roles of Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister, which is an unprecedented move in Bihar's political framework. Despite his rise, controversies have not been entirely absent from his career. Questions regarding his age and educational qualifications surfaced intermittently, though their long-term political impact remained limited. Today, Samrat Choudhary stands at the center of Bihar's political stage. His ascent is not merely the result of personal ambition but the outcome of a deep political legacy, an understanding of social dynamics, and strong organisational acumen. The real test now lies in how he transforms this legacy into effective governance and development. Strengthening law and order and meeting public expectations will be crucial. The people of Bihar are watching closely, and only time will determine how successfully he rises to the occasion.

Sanctified Shame

For centuries, Tuljapur in Maharashtra’s Dharashiv district has been a sanctum of the sacred. Today, the temple town reels from a drug scandal that desecrates both faith and legacy. Venerated as the abode of Goddess Tulaja Bhavani, the deity once believed to have armed Shivaji Maharaj with a sword to build a kingdom, Tuljapur’s sanctity has been pierced by a sordid scandal involving the synthetic drug mephedrone (dubbed ‘meow meow’) and the alleged complicity of some of the temple’s own priests.


In February, Dharashiv police intercepted a consignment of mephedrone worth Rs. 2.5 lakh along the Solapur-Tuljapur road. The drugs were reportedly headed to Tuljapur from Mumbai. The investigation disturbingly revealed that of the 35 named as accused (of whom 14 have been arrested), at least 11 were priests.


It is a development as spiritually corrosive as it is criminal. That men tasked with guiding the faithful and performing rituals in one of Maharashtra’s holiest shrines may have conspired to pollute it with narcotics is not merely a legal scandal but a moral betrayal.


Cautious local police authorities have stopped short of confirming priestly involvement pending the filing of a chargesheet. Yet the president of the Palikar Pujari Mandal has acknowledged that the names of 11 priests have surfaced, though he hastens to add that most of them rarely appear at the temple.


Drug abuse is scarcely news, nor is the infiltration of narcotics networks into unlikely spheres. But the prospect of a narcotics ring extending its tentacles into a historic temple town, and possibly into the priesthood itself, feels like a desecration layered upon desecration.


It blurs the line between the sacred and the profane in ways that damage public trust in both religious institutions and the rule of law.


The authorities want to tread carefully, with the refrain from both the police and the Mandal president being that to tarnish all priests with the same brush would be both unjust and inflammatory. But to tiptoe around proven complicity would be worse.


The Mandal president has promised that any priest found guilty will be banned from religious duties, which is merely a minimal first step. What must follow is a full-throated, transparent investigation that spares no one and shields no sanctified robe.


For Tuljapur, the stakes are existential. This is not merely about law enforcement. It is about cleansing the very altar of its reputation. The goddess, an emblem of strength and purity, draws lakhs of devotees, especially during Navratri. The temple of Tulaja Bhavani has long stood as a bulwark of Maratha identity and spiritual resilience. It must not now become a byword for moral decay and criminal complicity.


The goddess Bhavani is said to have gifted Shivaji not just a sword, but legitimacy. The sword has long since rusted into legend, but the legitimacy of Tuljapur’s temple must be reforged, and this time not through myth or war but through justice and reform.

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