Samrat Choudhary: The BJP Leader Who Transformed from Nitish Kumar's Opponent to Deputy Chief Minister

Samrat Choudhary, who until July 2024 symbolically wore a turban pledging to oust Nitish Kumar, now serves as his deputy in Bihar's government.

New Delhi:

As Bihar's election counting day approaches, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary finds himself at the center of political controversy. The veteran BJP leader has recently engaged in a heated exchange with Jan Suraaj Party's Prashant Kishor, becoming one of Bihar's most discussed political figures.

The controversy ignited when Kishor alleged Choudhary had connections to a 1995 murder case in Munger and accused him of falsifying his age to escape prosecution. Kishor further questioned Choudhary's educational background. The BJP leader promptly dismissed these accusations as politically motivated attacks.

Born on November 16, 1968, in Munger's Lakhanpur village, Samrat Choudhary comes from a politically established family. His father, Shakuni Choudhary, served as an MLA six times and as an MP, while his mother, Parvati Devi, was an MLA representing Tarapur. After completing his early education locally, Choudhary pursued advanced studies at Madurai Kamaraj University.

Choudhary's political journey began in 1990. By May 1999, he secured the position of Agriculture Minister in Rabri Devi's government. He won elections from Parbatta constituency in both 2000 and 2010, later becoming the opposition's chief whip in the Bihar Assembly.

Initially affiliated with RJD and JD(U), Choudhary orchestrated a significant defection in 2014, leading 13 MLAs away from RJD to form a breakaway group before joining the BJP.

On June 2, 2014, he was appointed Minister of Urban Development and Housing under Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. Previously, he had served as Minister of Metrology and Horticulture in 1999.

March 2023 marked Choudhary's appointment as BJP's Bihar state president, succeeding Sanjay Jaiswal. The party selected him strategically to strengthen its OBC base, particularly among the Koeri/Kushwaha community.

During his leadership, Choudhary openly criticized Nitish Kumar for perceived favoritism and contentious government policies. He famously wore a turban as a symbolic vow to remove Kumar from office, only removing it in July 2024 when Kumar aligned with the BJP coalition. That same month, Choudhary was relieved of his state BJP president position.

In January 2024, Choudhary became the BJP legislative party leader and Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister, overseeing crucial portfolios including Finance, Health, Urban Development, and Panchayati Raj.

Known for his provocative statements, Choudhary once compared Rahul Gandhi's beard to that of Osama bin Laden, remarking, "Rahul Gandhi grows a beard like Osama bin Laden and thinks that he would become like Prime Minister Narendra Modi."