Deputy Chief Minister **Samrat Choudhary** of the BJP is contesting the Assembly elections from **Tarapur** seat after a gap of **15 years**. Currently a sitting MLC, Choudhary is facing RJD's Arun Shah in this election. The contest has gained significance after Union Home Minister **Amit Shah** hinted on **October 30** that a victory for Choudhary could lead to a bigger role, sparking speculation about him becoming the next Chief Minister. Tarapur, which falls under Jamui Lok Sabha constituency, has a diverse voter base including around 63,000 Yadavs, 50,000 upper castes, 40,000 Kushwahas, and 28,000 Dalits. Choudhary, one of BJP's tallest leaders in Bihar, has been campaigning extensively across the state. His campaign focuses on development work done under Nitish Kumar's government and welfare schemes like pension hikes and financial assistance to women. Despite criticism from Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, Choudhary's ground support appears strong, particularly among backward castes and women beneficiaries of government schemes.
Campaign Trail Through Villages
On Saturday afternoon, Choudhary arrived by helicopter at Rampur Nahar village, dressed in white kurta-pyjama with a saffron stole. His motorcade of about a dozen SUVs passed through several villages including Baghaunia, Sahoda, Govindpur, and Sanhouli. Large crowds gathered to greet him, with chants of "Bada Aadmi Samrat" echoing everywhere. Women came out in large numbers, reportedly influenced by the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana which provides Rs 10,000 to women. Elderly residents appreciated the pension hike from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 per month. In Manjhgai, Choudhary stopped at a Shiva temple and addressed the crowd, promising to complete unfinished development work. Throughout the day, he covered approximately 25 kilometres across a dozen villages.
Electoral Arithmetic and Ground Reality
Tarapur's electoral battle is primarily between the NDA and Mahagathbandhan, with Jan Suraaj having limited impact on the ground. Choudhary's opponent Arun Shah had contested a 2021 bypoll from Tarapur and lost by just over 3,800 votes. The constituency has significant caste diversity, with Yadavs forming the largest bloc. Many voters support Choudhary based on caste identity and government welfare schemes. One resident acknowledged that the combination of social support and development work favours the NDA. Choudhary highlighted that the Nitish Kumar government increased the state budget from Rs 25,000 crore to Rs 3.17 lakh crore and provided 8.5 lakh jobs over 20 years. BJP leaders claim an ongoing NDA wave across Bihar.
Source: Original report