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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.

The great survivor!

Ganesh Naik

Ganesh Naik is a great survivor literally and figuratively. Recently at an election rally, he said that ‘all his rivals are dead’. That is very true literally. Nevertheless, Naik has also shown great agility and has survived politically.


Born in the Bonkode village of Navi Mumbai on September 15, 1950 Ganesh Ramchandra Naik started off in the life as a union leader. Initially he led workers from some of the prominent factories in the TTC industrial belt. As the union grew and spread to other industrial belts across Raigad and Thane districts, he started wielding political power. The planned city of Navi Mumbai was in making which lifted him straight from the village panchayat level to the state assembly. Shiv Sena was the most popular party among the youth back then. So, he became the Shiv Sena MLA in 1990 and also became the leader of the party in the house after rebellion of 11 MLAs under the leadership of Chhagan Bhujbal.


However, his rivals within the party made him leave Shiv Sena in 1999 though he was a minister and showed a great command on the administration. He lost the assembly election. But, after a brief period when he floated his own party, he joined NCP and was inducted into the state cabinet. After sensing that he has no future in NCP, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2019. However, before that he had developed a strong hold over the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), the two assembly constituencies in the city and the Lok Sabha constituency that extends from Navi Mumbai to Mira-Bhayandar. Naik family members occupied all the key posts of public representative from this region between 2000 and 2014.


Despite such a long and successful career, Naik faced controversies. He has been accused of cheating in two cases, and a woman claiming to be his live-in partner filed a more recent case of rape against him. The high court later quashed the case, and the complainant changed her statement, alleging that the case was politically motivated. But, the blot remains.


When he joined the BJP in 2019, his arch-rival Manda Mhatre had already been an MLA from the constituency that he had been being elected from. He had to leave the seat for her and he contested from his son’s constituency, Airoli. His elder son too didn’t get to contest Lok Sabha and his nephew couldn’t become Mayor of the city again. He still stayed with the BJP, but his son Sandeep, who was district BJP president, quit and is contesting from Belapur constituency as NCP(SP) candidate. Many feel that this is marks Naik’s backward journey to Sharad Pawar who had helped him stand again after being dejected by the Shiv Sena. Naik’s political journey has been marked by his ability to bounce back from setbacks.

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