Bihar Bahubali Anant Singh: The Controversial Strongman of Mokama Politics

Anant Singh, known as the five-time MLA from Bihar's Mokama constituency, is currently standing as the JDU candidate in the upcoming election.

Patna:

Commonly referred to as "Chhote Sarkar," JDU strongman Anant Kumar Singh, who has recently been detained in connection with a murder case, presents a striking figure predominantly dressed in white attire. Regularly seen sporting sunglasses with his white clothing, Singh has cultivated an almost cult-like following on social media platforms, where his spontaneous remarks frequently generate viral reels and memes. His stronghold is Mokama near Patna, where for approximately two decades, he has maintained political dominance. In this region, he transcends the need for party symbols; he himself represents authority. Whether affiliated with JDU, RJD, or running as an Independent candidate, his electoral success remains virtually guaranteed, with only party alignments and campaign slogans changing over time.

While social media content may sometimes present bahubalis (strongmen) in an amusing light, examining the factual record reveals a disturbing list of criminal allegations that suggests a more serious reality. Singh, recently arrested for allegedly orchestrating the murder of gangster-turned-politician Dular Singh Yadav, is currently the JDU's official candidate for the forthcoming election. Prior to his arrest, he had been actively engaging with media outlets and posting campaign materials through his Instagram account. Just as the humorous memes had nearly obscured his controversial background, Singh's arrest has renewed focus on the persistent criminalization within Bihar's political landscape.

Crimes and Assets

According to the nomination documentation submitted by Singh for the upcoming election, he currently faces 28 ongoing legal cases. The charges against him encompass serious offenses including murder, criminal conspiracy, torture, kidnapping, and assault. His charge sheet also includes theft, harboring criminals, and multiple violations of arms regulations.

Financial disclosures in his affidavit reveal movable assets valued at approximately Rs 13 crore. His vehicle collection features luxury automobiles, including a Toyota Land Cruiser worth Rs 2 crore and a Toyota Fortuner SUV. Notably, his possessions also include an elephant, a horse, and cattle. The affidavit states that Singh's combined movable and immovable assets total Rs 37.88 crore. His spouse, Neelam Devi, who currently serves as the MLA from Mokama, possesses assets valued at Rs 62.72 crore.

The Mokama Bahubali

Located less than 100 kilometers from Bihar's capital Patna, Mokama recognizes "chhote sarkar" as its de facto ruler. For approximately twenty years, Anant Singh has represented this constituency in the Bihar Assembly. The Bhumihar leader first entered the Assembly in 2005 and successfully retained his seat in the 2010 election. In 2015, he departed from JDU following Nitish Kumar's alliance with Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD. During that election cycle, he contested as an Independent candidate and decisively defeated the JDU nominee.

Prior to the 2020 election, Singh shifted his allegiance to the RJD. By this time, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav had dissolved their political partnership. Despite changing political dynamics in the state, the Mokama electoral outcome remained consistent, with Anant Singh securing another victory. However, in 2022, Singh was convicted in an arms-related case and consequently lost his Assembly membership. His wife, Neelam Devi, contested the subsequent by-election and maintained RJD control over Mokama. For the current election cycle, Singh has once again changed his political affiliation and secured a JDU ticket.

Dular Singh Yadav's Murder

Criminal-turned-politician Dular Singh Yadav was discovered deceased in Mokama on Thursday. Although Yadav had been campaigning for Jan Suraaj candidate Piyush Priyadarshi, the party's leader, Prashant Kishor, has explicitly denied any formal connection between Yadav and Jan Suraaj.

The post-mortem examination of Yadav indicated that his death resulted from cardiorespiratory failure due to shock, which was caused by injuries to the heart and lungs inflicted by a hard and blunt object. Law enforcement officials have apprehended Anant Singh, Manikant Thakur, and Ranjeet Ram in relation to this murder investigation.

According to reports, supporters of the strongman engaged in a confrontation with Yadav during which he sustained a gunshot wound. Anant Singh has maintained that he was "far away" from the location where the crime occurred. "I am unaware of exactly what transpired, but some of my associates have reported that Yadav's followers vandalized their vehicles," he has stated, while also attributing blame to rival strongman Suraj Bhan, whose wife is competing for the Mokama seat on an RJD ticket. "This must be Suraj Bhan's doing. He orchestrated the killing to damage my reputation," Singh claimed.