The BJP announced on Tuesday that Samrat Choudhary will assume leadership of Bihar from Nitish Kumar. A senior party leader and the current deputy chief minister, he is scheduled to be sworn in as chief minister on April 15.
Early life and political background
Samrat Choudhary hails from an influential political family in Bihar. His father, Shakuni Chaudhary, was elected MLA from Tarapur six times, and his mother, Parvati Devi, also served as a legislator. This family background enabled him to enter politics at an early stage.
He began his career in 1999 with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and quickly rose through the ranks. In 2000, he was elected as an MLA from Parbatta in Khagaria and became a minister in the government led by Rabri Devi.
A political career spanning multiple parties
Choudhary’s political journey has been defined by major shifts. After spending several years with the RJD, he moved to the Janata Dal (United) in 2014 and went on to serve as a minister in the Jitan Ram Manjhi-led government.
In 2017, he joined the BJP, where he advanced quickly. He served in organisational positions, including state vice-president, and was elevated to president of the party’s Bihar unit in 2023. In January 2024, he was made deputy chief minister in the NDA government headed by Nitish Kumar.
Position within the political landscape of Bihar
Samrat Choudhary is regarded as one of the BJP’s leading OBC leaders in Bihar, a state where caste equations significantly influence electoral politics. Serving as a chief strategist and campaigner, he has played a pivotal role in the party’s outreach efforts and organisational growth.He has also remained highly visible in constituencies such as Tarapur, a long-standing bastion of his family, further consolidating his grassroots political support.
Controversies
His political journey has faced its share of controversy. Opposition leaders have alleged inconsistencies in his election affidavits concerning his age and have demanded an investigation.
He has also been implicated in a 1995 murder case, where his name appeared alongside his father’s. These matters are repeatedly brought up in political debates, yet he continues to hold considerable influence in Bihar’s political landscape.