Pushpam Priya's Electoral Struggle: Bihar Trends Show Mask Removal Pledge May Remain Unfulfilled

Pushpam Priya Choudhary, the founder and chief of the Plurals Party who made a distinctive pledge to wear a mask until electoral victory in Bihar, is currently facing a significant deficit in the Darbhanga constituency as vote counting continues for the Bihar elections 2025. In the 2020 elections, this seat was secured by BJP's Sanjay Saraogi, who is presently maintaining his lead after 14 rounds of vote counting. Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) candidate Umesh Sahani trails Saraogi by over 22,000 votes, while Pushpam Priya lags behind by more than 58,000 votes.

The ongoing Bihar election results demonstrate challenging prospects for the Plurals Party leader, who established her political organization in 2020 with a vision to transform Bihar's political landscape beyond traditional religious and caste divisions. Her party is competing in all 243 constituencies across the state under the 'whistle' symbol. Recognizable by her signature black attire and mask, Pushpam Priya has publicly committed to removing her facial covering only after achieving electoral success.

Coming from a family with established political connections, Pushpam Priya is the daughter of former JDU lawmaker Vinod Kumar Choudhary. Her grandfather, Professor Umakant Choudhary, was not only closely associated with current Chief Minister Nitish Kumar but also helped establish the Samata Party. Additionally, her uncle Vinay Kumar Choudhary serves as a JDU leader who won the Benipur constituency in the 2020 assembly elections.

With impressive academic credentials including master's degrees from both the University of Sussex and the London School of Economics, Pushpam Priya began her professional journey as a consultant for Bihar's tourism and health departments before transitioning into politics. Despite her qualifications and political lineage, her party's electoral performance has been challenging, having contested 148 seats in the 2020 elections without securing any victories.