Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary of the BJP is contesting the Tarapur Assembly seat in Bihar after a gap of 15 years, having previously served as an MLC. His campaign has gained momentum following Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remark on October 30 suggesting a bigger role for Choudhary if he wins, sparking speculation about a future chief ministerial position. The constituency falls under the Jamui Lok Sabha seat and features a diverse voter base, including approximately 63,000 Yadavs, 50,000 upper castes, 40,000 Kushwahas, and smaller groups of Muslims and Dalits. Choudhary faces the RJD's Arun Shah, who narrowly lost the 2021 bypoll by just over 3,800 votes. Despite attacks from Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor over age and alleged past criminal involvement, Choudhary's campaign focuses on development achievements under the Nitish Kumar government. Popular welfare schemes, including the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana distributing Rs 10,000 to women and increased pensions, appear to strengthen NDA support across villages.
Campaign Trail Through Rural Villages
On a Saturday afternoon, Choudhary arrived by helicopter at Rampur Nahar village around 2:45 pm, dressed in white kurta-pyjama with a saffron stole. His motorcade of about a dozen SUVs passed through Kushwaha-dominated Baghaunia and Rajput-majority Sahoda, where villagers gathered eagerly. Residents debated demanding a primary healthcare centre during his first visit since becoming Deputy CM. The motorcade stopped briefly at Govindpur, Kahua, Sanhouli, Ranadih, Manjhgai, Mania, and Khaira villages, covering approximately 25 kilometres before departing for Tarapur around 6 pm. At each stop, large crowds, especially women, greeted him with slogans like "Samrat Choudhary zindabad." Villagers expressed pride at meeting the Deputy CM, with some speculating about his potential elevation to Chief Minister based on Shah's hints.
Development Work and Voter Sentiment
Choudhary highlighted how the Nitish Kumar government expanded the state budget from Rs 25,000 crore to Rs 3.17 lakh crore and provided 8.5 lakh jobs over 20 years. Popular welfare measures include the Dashazari scheme and pension increases from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 monthly. Villagers noted that households receive Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 monthly when counting free 125 MW power benefits. A betel shopkeeper at Nahar Mod Rampur admitted voting for Choudhary based on shared Koeri community identity regardless of performance. State BJP spokesperson Jayram Biplav claimed an ongoing "NDA wave" across Bihar, asserting that development work would overcome caste divisions. The electoral arithmetic combines social coalition-building with visible infrastructure improvements under the NDA government.
Source: Link