Political speeches during campaigns often fade after events, but in this case, they had lasting impact. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently appointed Samrat Chaudhary as Bihar’s chief minister, marking the first time a party member has held this position in the state. He was described as a significant figure.
At a rally in Tarapur, Munger, before the initial phase of Bihar’s assembly elections last October, Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged voters to support the local BJP candidate, promising that a victory for Chaudhary would elevate him to an important role. The electorate responded, re-electing Chaudhary as an MLA and allowing him to continue as deputy chief minister.
The 57-year-old is scheduled to be sworn in soon. Chaudhary began his career with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in 1999, later moved to the Janata Dal (United) in 2014, and joined the BJP in 2017.
During his time with the RJD, he held a ministerial position under Rabri Devi’s administration, an era the BJP frequently criticizes as a time of lawlessness under Lalu Prasad’s influence.
As a prominent Other Backward Classes (OBC) representative for the BJP, Chaudhary secured the Tarapur constituency with a substantial lead of 45,843 votes. Party insiders describe his ascent as rapid.
A high-ranking BJP official noted that while many politicians toil for decades without even securing a nomination, Chaudhary achieved the chief minister role in under a decade within the party’s structured system.
Political commentator Shekhar Iyer explained that the BJP aims to maintain stability in caste-based allocations without major shifts.
He stated that the party seeks to emphasize groups linked to the Luv-Kush (Kurmi-Kushwaha) coalition in Bihar to secure non-Yadav backward caste support. One deputy chief minister is likely to be from the Kurmi community, with another from the upper castes. There could also be appointments from Dalit or Yadav backgrounds. Chaudhary hails from the Kushwaha (Koeri) group.
Chaudhary became the BJP’s Bihar unit president in March 2023, following Nitish Kumar’s departure from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to align with the RJD-led coalition in August 2022.
This appointment was viewed as an effort to solidify OBC backing for the BJP.
In a social media post, Nitish Kumar recalled that the NDA first formed the government in Bihar on November 24, 2005, establishing rule of law and focusing on development for all communities, including Hindus, Muslims, upper castes, backward classes, extremely backward classes, and Dalits.
A party source praised Chaudhary’s efforts in bolstering the organization, noting that despite some criticism of his methods, he maintained unity.
A senior leader highlighted the importance of positioning Chaudhary as the BJP’s key figure, pointing out that Kurmis and Koeris represent major OBC groups in Bihar.
Nitish Kumar, a Kurmi, has relied on this base to counter Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Muslim-Yadav strategy since the 1990s. Chaudhary, from the Koeri community, has strengthened his claim as a potential successor due to Kumar’s apparent approval of his approach.
Party members emphasized that Kumar recognizes the Luv-Kush dynamic he shares with Chaudhary and wishes to preserve it after stepping down, making Chaudhary an ideal fit.
According to the 2023 Bihar caste survey, Kushwahas comprise 4.2 percent of the population, while Kurmis and Kushwahas together account for 7.08 percent, compared to Yadavs at 14.26 percent.
Another BJP official added that Chaudhary serves as the party’s OBC representative, and election outcomes demonstrated the dominance of the Kurmi-Koeri partnership. Given the support received and Chaudhary’s management, the party opted for continuity.
Chaudhary stands out among other potential candidates due to his unique attributes.
