Anxieties and expectations are rising in the faction-ridden Bihar unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Over the last few months, the saffron outfit’s gambit to not project a chief ministerial candidate and contest the elections under the leadership of Narendra Modi had temporarily concealed the ambitions of local leaders. With the poll results just two days away, the leadership debate has flared up again.
So who could become BJP’s chief ministerial candidate if at all the party wins on Sunday?
According BJP insiders, several new names have surfaced over the course of the campaign. Which means that Former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who has never concealed his aspiration to climb up that final rung, is far from being the frontrunner.
On the top of the list currently is Rajendra Singh, the BJP’s candidate from Dinara in Rohtas district and a full-time member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. In the party as well as in the media, Singh is already being dubbed Bihar’s Manohar Lal Khattar, the former RSS pracharak who was anointed Haryana’s chief minister after the party’s victory in the northern state.
Politically, Rajendra Singh has never been active in Bihar. Since his days as a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of the BJP, he has lived in Uttar Pradesh. In 2013, he was made BJP general secretary (organisation) in Jharkhand – the same position Khattar held in Haryana before he was made the chief minister.
The obstacle on Rajendra Singh’s road to ascendance could be the rival Janata Dal (United) candidate in Dinara. The incumbent MLA from the constituency and the Cooperatives Minister in the outgoing ministry, Jai Kumar Singh is believed to have good chances of winning back the seat.
More names in the fray
Another name doing the rounds in the BJP is Gaya MLA Prem Kumar, one of the longest-serving legislators in Bihar who has never lost an election since 1990. A leader belonging to the extremely backward classes, his name was announced by BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain on October 14, two days before the polling in Gaya. However, he, too, is locked in what political observers believe is a tough contest with Congress candidate Priya Ranjan.
The BJP’s Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Nand Kishore Yadav has also emerged as a strong contender for the chief ministerial post in the event of a National Democratic Alliance win. Like Prem Kumar, he too also been winning repeatedly from the Patna Sahib constituency in Patna district. In addition, he is an old-time RSS worker who is seen as close to Narendra Modi.
Also in the fray is Rameshwar Prasad Chaurasia, the BJP candidate from Nokha assembly constituency in Rohtas district. The four-time BJP MLA is known for his proximity to Modi, and many in the party believe that if NDA wins, he could be the “dark horse”. But whether he will clinch his seat is another matter.
Chaurasia belongs to the extremely backward classes and his caste (Chaurasia community) does not have strong numbers in Nokha constituency. In the past, Chaurasia got votes from the other backwards classes as well as the upper castes in the constituency. But this time round, with a division between the backward and upper castes, his rival, Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate Anita Devi, could pose stiff competition.
Meanwhile, Sushil Kumar Modi who started calling himself SuMo, aping Narendra Modi’s appellation NaMo, did not contest the assembly elections. Like Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he is also a member of the state legislative council. Despite this, Bihar BJP leaders say, Sushil Modi continues to fancy himself as the next chief minister.
So who could become BJP’s chief ministerial candidate if at all the party wins on Sunday?
According BJP insiders, several new names have surfaced over the course of the campaign. Which means that Former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who has never concealed his aspiration to climb up that final rung, is far from being the frontrunner.
On the top of the list currently is Rajendra Singh, the BJP’s candidate from Dinara in Rohtas district and a full-time member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. In the party as well as in the media, Singh is already being dubbed Bihar’s Manohar Lal Khattar, the former RSS pracharak who was anointed Haryana’s chief minister after the party’s victory in the northern state.
Politically, Rajendra Singh has never been active in Bihar. Since his days as a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of the BJP, he has lived in Uttar Pradesh. In 2013, he was made BJP general secretary (organisation) in Jharkhand – the same position Khattar held in Haryana before he was made the chief minister.
The obstacle on Rajendra Singh’s road to ascendance could be the rival Janata Dal (United) candidate in Dinara. The incumbent MLA from the constituency and the Cooperatives Minister in the outgoing ministry, Jai Kumar Singh is believed to have good chances of winning back the seat.
More names in the fray
Another name doing the rounds in the BJP is Gaya MLA Prem Kumar, one of the longest-serving legislators in Bihar who has never lost an election since 1990. A leader belonging to the extremely backward classes, his name was announced by BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain on October 14, two days before the polling in Gaya. However, he, too, is locked in what political observers believe is a tough contest with Congress candidate Priya Ranjan.
The BJP’s Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Nand Kishore Yadav has also emerged as a strong contender for the chief ministerial post in the event of a National Democratic Alliance win. Like Prem Kumar, he too also been winning repeatedly from the Patna Sahib constituency in Patna district. In addition, he is an old-time RSS worker who is seen as close to Narendra Modi.
Also in the fray is Rameshwar Prasad Chaurasia, the BJP candidate from Nokha assembly constituency in Rohtas district. The four-time BJP MLA is known for his proximity to Modi, and many in the party believe that if NDA wins, he could be the “dark horse”. But whether he will clinch his seat is another matter.
Chaurasia belongs to the extremely backward classes and his caste (Chaurasia community) does not have strong numbers in Nokha constituency. In the past, Chaurasia got votes from the other backwards classes as well as the upper castes in the constituency. But this time round, with a division between the backward and upper castes, his rival, Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate Anita Devi, could pose stiff competition.
Meanwhile, Sushil Kumar Modi who started calling himself SuMo, aping Narendra Modi’s appellation NaMo, did not contest the assembly elections. Like Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he is also a member of the state legislative council. Despite this, Bihar BJP leaders say, Sushil Modi continues to fancy himself as the next chief minister.
Buy an annual Scroll Membership to support independent journalism and get special benefits.
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!