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Samrat Choudhary[1] (born 16 November 1968), also known by his alias Rakesh Kumar,[2] is an Indian politician, who is currently serving as 8th Deputy Chief minister of Bihar under Nitish Kumar along with Vijay Kumar Sinha since 2024. He is a member of the Bihar Legislative Council from the Bharatiya Janata Party. He has been the party president of BJP Bihar State unit from March 2023 to 25 July 2024. He has also remained Member of Legislative Assembly and a minister in Government of Bihar in Rashtriya Janata Dal government. Chaudhary has been a former Vice President of BJP for the state of Bihar and currently elected for the second term as MLC in 2020 after his first term ended in 2019.[3][4][5] In 2014, Samrat planned a split in Rashtriya Janata Dal by defecting thirteen MLAs as splinter group of the party, later joining the BJP.[6] In 2022, he was selected as the Leader of Opposition in Bihar Legislative Council.[7] In 2024, he was also made the convener of Group of Ministers on Goods and Service Tax rate rationalisation panel.[8]

Key Information

Life

[edit]
Samrat Chaudhary hosting Nitish Kumar at his house warming ceremony on 14 October 2024.

Choudhary belongs to Koeri Kushwaha caste and he has been the OBC face of the BJP for a long time.[9][10][11][12] He was born on 16 November 1968 in Lakhanpur village of Munger. His mother's name is Parvati Devi and father's name is Shakuni Choudhary. His ancestral village is in Lakhanpur in Tarapur block of Munger district. Samrat belongs to a family of top politicians. His father, Shakuni Choudhary has been an MLA and MP seven times and mother Parvati Devi has been an MLA from Tarapur constituency. After completing his basic education, he received higher education from Madurai Kamaraj University. His educational qualifications have become a subject of public controversy.[13]

Political career

[edit]

Chaudhary entered active politics in 1990 and on 19 May 1999 he was sworn in as the Minister of Agriculture in the Bihar government. He contested from Parbatta (Vidhan Sabha constituency) in 2000 and 2010 and was elected MLA.[14] In 2010, he was made the Chief Whip of the opposition party in the Bihar Legislative Assembly. On 2 June 2014, he was sworn in and took charge as Minister of Urban Development and Housing Department in the Government of Bihar. In 2018, he was made the vice president of Bihar Pradesh in the Bharatiya Janata Party.[15] Before joining BJP he has remained associated with Rashtriya Janata Dal as well as Janata Dal (United).[16] In 2020 Bihar Assembly election he was made star campaigner of National Democratic Alliance, meanwhile he was embroiled in a controversy after giving a controversial statement on Lalu Prasad Yadav's caste equation.[17]

In 2021, Samrat was made Panchayati Raj minister in the expanded cabinet of Nitish Kumar from BJP quota.[18] He has also served as Minister for Urban Development and Housing, Health in 2014 in Jitan Ram Manjhi Ministry and Minister of Metrology and Horticulture in 1999 in Rabri Devi Ministry.[16]

Tenure as Panchayati Raj Minister

[edit]

The tenure of Samrat Choudhary as Panchayati Raj minister was a blend of controversies and developmental steps taken by him under the jurisdictions of his ministry. In March 2021, he gained nationwide attention for getting embroiled in a strong argument with the speaker of Bihar Legislative Assembly, Vijay Kumar Sinha. The speaker was seeking his reply, on a question that was raised by an MLA, regarding working of his department. Later, he apologized to the speaker for violation of the decorum of the house. The Panchayati Raj Ministry under him took several steps for promoting better organisational structure like recruitment of more staff in sanitation department as well as paving the way for safe disposal of dead carcasses of stray animals. The ministry under him also planned to seek the intra department supports of other ministerial departments.[19][20]

He has been accused of charges related to undue influence or personation at an election and disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant.[21]

State president of Bharatiya Janata Party

[edit]
Samrat Chaudhary (extreme right) in 2023, participating in Ram Navmi Shobha Yatra with Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.

In March 2023, Chaudhary was appointed president of Bhartiya Janata Party for the state of Bihar, replacing Sanjay Jaiswal. As per the political analysts, the step was taken by party leadership in order to create strong foundation among the voters of Koeri or the kushwaha caste, which dominated many of the districts of Bihar and were recorded as second largest caste group after the Yadavs in state.[22][23] After his appointment to the post of state chief of BJP, Rabri Devi commented, "it seems BJP has turned its back from the Banias and that's why they have raised a Mahto to the post of president."[24]

Chaudhary led BJP in Bihar after his appointment as party's state chief. Reportedly, he attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar verbally on various occasions; in May 2023, while he was trying to meet a former five time MLA of BJP Jawahar Prasad, who was incarcerated in prison for his role in Ram Navmi violence in Sasaram, he was stopped by authorities. On 3 May 2023, in a statement given to press, Chaudhary accused Nitish Kumar of promoting criminals and targeting saints; he cited the incident of release of former Member of Parliament and convicted criminal Anand Mohan Singh to support his claim.[25] In 2023, while speaking to a gathering of BJP political workers in Begusarai, union minister Giriraj Singh projected Chaudhary as the chief ministerial candidate of BJP for 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections.[26] In July 2023, Chaudhary, along with Vijay Kumar Sinha and other BJP leaders organised a protest on the question of ten lakh jobs, that was promised by Grand Alliance government of Nitish Kumar and Tejaswi Yadav, to win the election. The protest was led by Chaudhary and Sinha along with BJP workers. However, when the mob reached Dak Bangla Square, Patna Police initiated lathi charge on BJP workers. A worker of BJP from Jahanabad died due to severe injuries, while many other leaders like Janardan Singh Sigriwal were also beaten. In the aftermath of protest, Chaudhary, in his statement, blamed the incumbent government of Nitish Kumar for the death of their worker.[27]

The BJP leaders were also protesting against the teacher recruitment policy of Nitish Kumar government, and the domicile issue. The government had allowed the candidate outside the state of Bihar to take the recruitment examination, hence, there was dissatisfaction in one section of local candidates from state. However, Chaudhary, along with all major state leaders of BJP were arrested during the protest.[28]

Chaudhary is also known for his outspoken nature. In May 2023, he alleged that Janata Dal United (JDU) president Lalan Singh has served liquor at a feast organised in his Lok Sabha constituency Munger, despite knowing that government of Bihar had imposed ban on liquor since 2016. For his remark, he was criticised by JDU leaders. The state president of JDU, Umesh Singh Kushwaha even passed a censure resolution against him, at a meeting of party. Kushwaha also commented that despite belonging to a political family, Chaudhary lacks decency required by a politician.[29] At various occasions, Chaudhary had also criticised Nitish Kumar for not promoting any Kushwaha or Kurmi leader, other than himself. He also alleged Kumar of using his peers for his own benefits.[30]

In March 2023, soon after Chaudhary became the head of state wing of BJP, posters were raised by a group of BJP political workers in Patna, equating Chaudhary to Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. The senior BJP leaders like former deputy CM Tarkishore Prasad evaded direct comment on this comparison, when approached by media. On the other hand, JDU alleged BJP was avoiding latter's long time faithful party leaders and promoting someone, who was an outsider to party, sometimes before.[31]

Chaudhary continued to encircle Nitish Kumar and deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav, both inside and outside of Bihar Legislative Assembly, in his new role as BJP state chief. He became vocal in asking for resignation of Tejaswi Yadav, after chargesheet was filed against Yadav in connection with 'Land For Job' scheme, a scheme in which appropriation of land from people was done, in lieu of giving them job, in the tenure of Lalu Prasad Yadav. Chaudhary was also engaged in 'politics of symbolism' ; he wore a turban on his head with the resolve to remove it on the day, Nitish Kumar leaves the premiership of the state of Bihar.[32]

In July 2024, he removed the turban after visiting Ayodhya and taking a dip in the Sarayu river. Chaudhary dedicated his turban lord Rama and announced that after Nitish Kumar joined BJP led coalition once against ditching the alliance led by Rashtriya Janata Dal, his vow to made him resign from the office of Chief Minister got completed.[33]

On 26 July 2024, Chaudhary was removed from the post of party's state president for Bihar. It was done after the extensive discussion within the party leadership after the 2024 Lok Sabha election, in which, it was concluded that he was unable to transfer the vote of Kushwaha caste to the Bharatiya Janata Party. With his removal, Dilip Kumar Jaiswal, party's member of legislative council of Bihar was appointed the new president of Bihar unit of BJP. Chaudhary, however, continued to serve as the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.[34]

Leader of BJP legislative party in Bihar

[edit]
Samrat Chaudhary and Nitish Kumar participating in Bihar Climate Change Conference and Exhibition with Vijay Kumar Sinha.

In January 2024, Chaudhary was made the leader of Bharatiya Janata Party's legislative party in Bihar. Vijay Kumar Sinha was subsequently made the deputy leader of BJP legislative party. This followed swearing in of Sinha and Chaudhary as Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar in the Nitish Kumar's 9th government formed in the state in 2024.[35] Several political analysts claimed that BJP could project Chaudhary as its Chief Minister face for the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections. It was stipulated that any political consideration in the caste sensitive state like Bihar can only be made by keeping caste in centre stage. Following the caste based census conducted by Nitish Kumar in 2022, it was revealed that OBC and Extremely Backward Class comprised 60% of the population of the state and this revelation necessitated OBC centric politics in the state. Chaudhary was hence considered as a natural choice for the top leadership position of Bharatiya Janata Party, as he hailed from the caste which was part of troika of three agrarian castes, Yadav, Kurmi and Koeri, which historically led the anti-upper caste agitation in the state of Bihar. Following the displacement of upper caste from power circle, Yadav and Kurmis were able to run the state with Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar assuming the premiership, but, Kushwahas or Koeris left behind. Hence, it was assumed that Chaudhary being a Kushwaha was BJP's reply to Nitish Kumar's dominance in Bihar's politics.[36]

Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar

[edit]
Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister, Samrat Chaudhary inaugurating the redevelopment project of PMCH costing Rs 903.57 crore.

Soon after taking oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar alongside Vijay Kumar Sinha, Chaudhary was allocated several other departments in portfolio distribution of Nitish Kumar in February 2024.[37] He was allocated important departments of finance, health, commercial taxes, urban development and housing department, Sports, Panchayati Raj, Industry, Animal and Fisheries resources as well as planning.[38][39]

On 13 February 2024, Chaudhary as Deputy CM as well as Finance Minister of Bihar, presented a budget worth ₹2.79 lakh crore in the Bihar Legislative Assembly. This was one of the biggest budget in the history of Bihar. Chaudhary also announced that the growth rate of state has achieved 10.64% mark and a total of 2.5 crore people in the state have risen above poverty level in preceding years.[40] As finance minister, he worked for creation of more jobs in the government sector as per NDA's poll promises. Chaudhary announced creation of 30,547 posts in various government departments after the administrative committee of finance ministry sanctioned the creation of these posts under him.[41]

Ideology

[edit]
Samrat Chaudhary with Nitish Kumar in the appointment letter distribution ceremony of newly joined Ayush practitioners.

Chaudhary holds the anti-immigrant ideology, which is promoted by BJP in frontier states of India. In June 2023, while addressing a rally at Purnia, Chaudhary promised to the audience that if the government of BJP is formed in the state of Bihar, they will drive all illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from the Muslim dominated region of Bihar called Simanchal.[42] Chaudhary also believes in existence of the right wing conspiracy theory of Love Jihad, the process of Muslim men trapping Hindu girls, and converting them into Islam for marriage. In one of his media briefing, Chaudhary said that all the Love Jihad cases pending in Bihar will be probed, if BJP wins 2025 Bihar assembly elections.[43]

Chaudhary had supported the drive of Bihar government for conducting a caste census in the state and at an all India level. Amidst claims that Bharatiya Janata Party and its leaders are against caste census, Chaudhary declared in BJP's Other Backward Class convention at Khagaria in 2021 that he and his party is not against caste census and the BJP has always given representation to numerically small caste groups, which are vulnerable to be subsumed by the dominant castes. He also pointed towards the appointment of Renu Devi and Tarkishore Prasad as Deputy CM by BJP to support his arguments as both belonged to Backward Caste.[44] On 2 October 2023, after the Government of Bihar published the data of caste census, Chaudhary reiterated his statement and clarified that the release of data won't change the political standing and policies of the party as they have always worked towards proportional representation for all the castes.[45]

Controversies

[edit]

In June 2023, taking a dig at Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Chaudhary compared latter's bearded look to Osama bin Laden. He said, "Rahul Gandhi grows beard like Osama bin Laden and thinks that he would become like prime minister Narendra Modi".[46]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Samrat Choudhary

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Samrat Choudhary (born Rakesh Kumar; 16 November 1968) is an Indian politician serving as the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar since January 2024 in the (NDA) government led by Chief Minister . A member of the (BJP), he previously held the position of BJP state president in Bihar and has represented constituencies in the state and council. Originally from the (LJP), Choudhary switched to the BJP in 2021, marking a rapid ascent that positioned him as a key OBC face for the party in Bihar's politics. Choudhary's political career spans multiple parties and alliances, reflecting the fluid dynamics of Bihar's electoral landscape, where he has contested and won elections from seats like Lakhisarai and later Tarapur. As Deputy Chief Minister, he oversees portfolios including finance and has been vocal in defending the NDA's governance model, emphasizing development initiatives and criticizing opposition figures like Lalu Prasad Yadav as symbols of corruption. In the lead-up to the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, he is contesting from Tarapur on a BJP ticket, with the party expressing confidence in retaining power through alliances with Janata Dal (United). His tenure has not been without controversy, including allegations of involvement in a 1995 murder case where critics claim he misrepresented his age to evade trial, as well as recent accusations from political rivals regarding educational qualifications and financial dealings—claims he has publicly refuted as baseless and politically motivated. Choudhary's affidavit for the 2025 elections discloses assets exceeding ₹10 crore, underscoring his financial standing amid ongoing scrutiny. These elements highlight his role as a polarizing yet influential figure in Bihar's BJP machinery, balancing administrative duties with electoral strategizing.

Personal Background

Early Life and Family

Samrat Choudhary was born on 16 November 1968 in Lakhanpur village, , . He hails from an Other Backward Classes (OBC) family, with his father, , serving as a member of the and later as a founding member of the . Choudhary's upbringing occurred in rural during the late 1960s and 1970s, a period marked by the state's broader economic underdevelopment, including low and reliance on agriculture amid frequent floods in the region encompassing . His father's involvement in local politics from constituencies like Tarapur in provided early familial exposure to electoral processes and community governance issues. This dynastic political environment, rooted in OBC community networks, shaped Choudhary's initial worldview, though specific personal anecdotes from his childhood remain undocumented in public records.

Education and Name Changes

Samrat Choudhary has declared in his election affidavits a Doctor of Letters (D-Litt) from California Public University, USA, alongside qualifications from Madurai Kamaraj University, but these entries lack specific details on enrollment dates, completion years, or institutional verification processes. The 2025 Bihar Assembly election affidavit for the Tarapur constituency similarly omits precise timelines or supporting documentation for higher education, fueling scrutiny over the degrees' authenticity despite no independent corroboration from the named universities. Political opponents, notably Jan Suraaj founder , have alleged that Choudhary failed to pass Class X (matriculation), rendering advanced degrees implausible without foundational schooling completion, though these claims rely on unverified archival records rather than official transcripts. No public evidence from educational authorities confirms or refutes the advanced qualifications, leaving the matter unresolved amid ongoing electoral debates. Choudhary's personal name has undergone multiple legal changes: originally Rakesh Kumar at birth, it shifted to Samrat Kumar Maurya in the early 2000s, before settling as Samrat Choudhary around 2014. The adoption of "Maurya" has been attributed to strategic outreach toward the Kushwaha caste, which claims historical ties to the Maurya dynasty, aiding his political mobilization within Bihar's Other Backward Classes demographics during affiliations with parties like Lok Janshakti Party. The final change to "Choudhary" coincided with his Bharatiya Janata Party entry, reflecting a surname common among Koeri-Kushwaha communities and documented in subsequent affidavits without noted legal disputes over the alterations themselves.

Political Trajectory

Early Involvement and Party Switches

Samrat Chaudhary's political career commenced in the late 1990s with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a splinter from the broader Janata Dal tradition amid Bihar's fragmented socialist politics. He was appointed a minister in Chief Minister Rabri Devi's cabinet on May 19, 1999, during the RJD's tenure marked by allegations of widespread corruption and administrative dysfunction known as "jungle raj." His ministerial stint ended abruptly on November 16, 1999, when Governor Suraj Bhan dismissed him for being underage, following directives from RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav. Choudhary remained affiliated with the RJD after its electoral defeat in 2005, navigating Bihar's shifting alliances characterized by frequent realignments among regional parties. In 2014, expressing opposition to Lalu Yadav's enduring influence within the RJD, he defected to the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) under Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's rebel faction, following Nitish Kumar's resignation after poor Lok Sabha results. This move reflected pragmatic adaptations to Bihar's volatile coalition dynamics, where leaders often shifted to counter perceived entrenched corruption from the RJD era. He later associated briefly with the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) before realigning with JD(U). By 2017, Choudhary had switched back to JD(U) under , securing a short-term role as minister amid ongoing alliance flux. His transitions were driven by critiques of RJD governance, including public rhetoric decrying the "jungle raj" legacy of lawlessness and graft under Lalu , positioning him against oppositional regimes favoring Yadav dominance. These shifts exemplified the opportunistic yet survival-oriented navigation of Bihar's multipolar party landscape, where ideological consistency yielded to electoral viability and anti-corruption posturing.

Transition to BJP and Electoral Success

In 2017, Samrat Choudhary transitioned to the (BJP), departing from his prior affiliations with parties including the (RJD), amid BJP's efforts to expand its voter base in beyond traditional upper-caste supporters. As a community leader representing Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Choudhary's induction aimed to challenge the RJD's dominance among voters and position the BJP as more inclusive toward non-dominant OBC groups, facilitating strategic outreach in rural and semi-urban areas. This realignment contributed to the party's internal diversification, with Choudhary emerging as a vocal advocate for OBC consolidation under the (NDA). During the 2020 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, the BJP, as part of the NDA, secured 74 seats, bolstering its legislative influence despite falling short of an outright majority alongside allies. Choudhary, contesting and winning a seat in the as a BJP , reinforced the party's presence and organizational momentum in the state. His elevation within the party hierarchy post-election underscored the gains from his 2017 switch, enabling BJP to project stronger OBC leadership amid competition from caste-based rivals. Choudhary played a supportive role in the NDA's revival between 2022 and 2024, particularly following Nitish Kumar's brief alignment with the opposition Mahagathbandhan in August 2022, which had disrupted the . As BJP's state president from March 2023, he backed Kumar's return to the NDA in January 2024, emphasizing shared developmental goals and stances to stabilize the government and counter RJD-led alliances. This maneuver restored NDA control, with Choudhary's public endorsements highlighting the alliance's resilience against perceived opportunistic shifts by Kumar.

Key Leadership and Ministerial Roles

Following the 2020 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, Samrat Choudhary served as the Leader of the Opposition in the , guiding the BJP's strategy in the and consolidating the party's legislative opposition against the ruling coalition. In March 2023, Choudhary was appointed as the president of the BJP's unit, replacing , with a mandate to bolster the party's and prepare for electoral challenges, including targeting all 40 seats in the state. His leadership emphasized internal restructuring and outreach to counter the incumbent government. Choudhary's tenure as state president concluded in July 2024, when Dilip Jaiswal succeeded him, a decision driven by the BJP's aim to appeal to the Vaishya community and recalibrate caste arithmetic ahead of the 2025 assembly polls. On January 28, 2024, amid Nitish Kumar's realignment with the NDA, Choudhary was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, ascending to a top executive position within the state government. In February 2024, he was assigned the Finance portfolio, along with responsibilities in commercial taxes and other departments, enabling oversight of the state's budgetary and revenue frameworks. This role positioned him as a key architect in the NDA's governance hierarchy, bridging party leadership with ministerial duties.

Ideological Stance and Policy Positions

Alignment with BJP and NDA Objectives

Samrat Choudhary, as an (OBC) leader from Bihar's community, has integrated empowerment for such groups into the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) broader nationalist framework, aiding the party's outreach beyond its historical upper-caste support base in the state. His elevation within the BJP exemplifies this adaptation of principles to local demographics, where emphasizes inclusive Hindu identity alongside caste-specific mobilization. Choudhary endorses core elements tailored to Bihar, linking the BJP's ideology to revered cultural symbols. In a March 2023 interview as the newly appointed BJP Bihar president, he declared, "Jahan Ram hain, wahin BJP," highlighting the party's alignment with the movement and Hindu heritage as foundational to its political identity. He has consistently supported the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) central policies promoting economic development and infrastructure, positioning them as a departure from prior socialist-oriented approaches in Bihar. During his October 2025 nomination filing for the Tarapur assembly seat, Choudhary affirmed that "Bihar is on the path of prosperity under NDA rule," crediting alliance-led initiatives for fostering growth. Choudhary's advocacy for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's overarching vision emphasizes transcending caste-based divisions in favor of unified development. In public addresses ahead of the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, he urged voters to "rise above caste and religion and vote for PM Modi," framing this as essential for statewide progress. In a February 2024 discussion, he noted that with the Ram Mandir's construction fulfilling a key cultural goal, Modi's focus has shifted squarely to a development agenda.

Critiques of Oppositional Regimes

Samrat Choudhary has repeatedly characterized the (RJD) governments under from 1990 to 2005 as "jungle raj," a period marked by rampant lawlessness, including elevated rates of kidnappings and murders that positioned as a hub for . During this era, recorded thousands of kidnapping cases annually, with criminals often operating with perceived impunity, as evidenced by high-profile incidents like the Shilpi-Gautam double murder and widespread rackets. Choudhary's invocations of this term underscore policy contrasts, arguing that such governance failures, including over 32,000 reported serious crimes linked to patronage networks, stifled development and investor confidence in the state. In 2025 public addresses, Choudhary contrasted Nitish Kumar's administration with Lalu Yadav's legacy, portraying the latter as emblematic of "darkness" through familial control and criminal enabling, while highlighting subsequent declines in rates under NDA-led coalitions as evidence of superior law-and-order management. He specifically labeled Lalu Prasad the "Gabbar" of Bihar in June 2025, alluding to banditry-style rule that prioritized protection over public safety, amid data showing kidnapping incidents dropping significantly post-2005 compared to the RJD tenure. Choudhary has accused the RJD and Mahagathbandhan opposition of perpetuating dynastic , exemplified by efforts to position as chief ministerial candidate in October 2025, allegedly by pressuring allies like to concede seats and leadership roles to favor family interests over broader coalition equity. This critique aligns with observations that over 42% of RJD's outgoing MLAs in 2025 were dynasts, reflecting a pattern of inheritance-driven candidacy that Choudhary contends undermines merit-based and echoes the RJD's historical centralization of power.

Governance Achievements

Contributions as Deputy Chief Minister

As Deputy with the portfolio since January 28, 2024, Samrat Choudhary has overseen Bihar's fiscal management, presenting the 2024-25 state of ₹2.79 on February 13, 2024, which projected a gross state domestic product growth exceeding 10 percent—the highest among Indian states at the time. He asserted that the state would achieve surplus revenue in the 2024-25 through enhanced collections and prudent expenditure. For 2025-26, amid preparations for state elections, he tabled a ₹3.17 on March 3, 2025, emphasizing infrastructure and development allocations aligned with NDA promises. Choudhary has focused on revenue enhancement in commercial taxes, including Bihar's GST collections, which recorded a 30 percent year-on-year increase to ₹2,599 in March 2025 and 16 percent growth in July 2025. As convenor of the GST Council’s Group of Ministers on rate rationalization since June 2024, he endorsed proposals to simplify slabs—eliminating 12 percent and 28 percent rates in favor of 5 percent and 18 percent structures—to boost compliance, consumption, and state revenues while supporting indigenous products. In coordinating NDA governance, Choudhary has publicly affirmed stability under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, confirming on March 7, 2025, that Kumar remains the alliance's chief ministerial face for the 2025 elections and dismissing leadership change speculations in multiple interviews. He countered opposition narratives on infrastructure, such as on October 25, 2025, rebutting Lalu Prasad Yadav's criticism of Chhath Puja train arrangements by noting that only 178 special trains were provided under Yadav's railway ministry tenure, versus over 12,000 under the current NDA administration.

Focus on Development and Anti-Corruption Measures

As Bihar's Deputy and Finance Minister, Samrat Choudhary has prioritized infrastructure development to position the state as an emerging industrial and tourism hub, emphasizing enhanced road networks, industrial corridors, and land acquisition for new projects. In September 2025, he secured approval for four new industrial corridors, described as a historic step toward economic diversification. The state government under the NDA allocated significant funds in the FY26 budget of Rs 3.17 crore for infrastructure, including initiatives to attract investments through improved connectivity and business ecosystems. Choudhary's advocacy extends to welfare for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), aligning with the BJP's efforts to broaden its support beyond traditional upper-caste voters through targeted outreach in budgets and schemes like Saat Nischay-II, which received Rs 5,972 for development goals encompassing and empowerment programs. In public addresses, he has highlighted the NDA's record of fiscal prudence and growth, contrasting it with prior regimes' stagnation, while promoting empirical progress such as Bihar's 8.64% GSDP growth in FY24-25. On , Choudhary has consistently criticized the RJD's 15-year rule (1990-2005) for systemic mismanagement, including widespread "loot, murder, and " exemplified by unfulfilled job promises and resource plunder that left in fiscal distress with high deficits and contingent liabilities. He invokes these historical failures—such as the failure to deliver even 1 jobs amid scandals—to underscore NDA reforms that have reduced such vulnerabilities, with Bihar's debt-to-GSDP ratio managed at 39.6% by 2022-23 through better revenue mobilization, though critics note ongoing dependence on central transfers. In 2025 addresses, he framed the NDA's development agenda as a bulwark against returning to "jungle raj" era excesses, citing verifiable gains as evidence of causal improvements in governance efficacy.

Historical Accusations and Court Cases

In 1995, during the elections, Samrat Choudhary and his father, , were named as accused in the murder of Congress candidate Sachchidanand and six supporters in Parbatta constituency. The incident involved a violent attack amid polling, leading to multiple fatalities. Choudhary claimed minor status at the time, asserting he was under 18 years old, which allowed him to evade adult trial proceedings; this claim was accepted by the based on submitted affidavits, though subsequent political allegations in 2025 questioned the accuracy of his stated age. No was recorded against him in the case. Choudhary's name also surfaced in connection with the 1990s Shilpi Jain-Gautam Singh rape and murder investigation in , where he was reportedly interrogated as a by the (CBI). The case involved the alleged rape and killing of a 22-year-old , drawing significant attention due to its sensational nature and political undertones. Opponents have cited his association with the probe, but court records show no formal charges resulting in conviction or trial against him. These pre-2024 accusations have been referenced in discussions of Choudhary's frequent party affiliations, with some observers speculating links to legal pressures influencing switches from to and later , though no direct causal evidence from judicial proceedings supports such interpretations. All cases remain unresolved in terms of convictions against Choudhary, per available outcomes.

Recent Political Allegations

In September 2025, Jan Suraaj Party leader Prashant Kishor accused Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary of misrepresenting his age as a minor to evade trial in a 1995 murder case, claiming Choudhary filed false affidavits before the Supreme Court to support this assertion. Kishor demanded Choudhary's immediate dismissal from office and stated his party would pursue legal action if no probe ensued, framing the allegations as evidence of systemic issues in Bihar's NDA government. Choudhary dismissed the claims as baseless and politically motivated, issuing a defamation notice through allies and urging Kishor—whose Jan Suraaj Party seeks to challenge NDA dominance in upcoming Bihar elections—to verify facts before public statements. In October 2025, Choudhary's election affidavit for the Tarapur constituency drew scrutiny over its vagueness on educational qualifications and declaration of assets exceeding 10 , amid rival claims questioning the accuracy of his academic credentials. Critics, including Kishor, alleged discrepancies such as limited formal up to Class X, contrasting with Choudhary's public portrayal of higher achievements, while the affidavit also listed two pending criminal cases. Choudhary's camp defended the disclosures as compliant with requirements, attributing the controversy to opposition tactics aimed at undermining his candidacy in the Bihar Assembly polls. As of October 2025, no formal investigations into these affidavit-related claims had been announced by authorities.

References

  1. https://www.oneindia.com/politicians/samrat-chaudhary-75664.html
  2. https://www.samratchoudhary.in/
  3. https://starsunfolded.com/samrat-choudhary/
  4. https://www.business-standard.com/politics/meet-samrat-choudhary-obc-leader-whose-stock-rose-rapidly-upon-joining-bjp-124012800320_1.html
  5. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/lalu-prasad-yadav-is-the-symbol-of-corruption-bihar-bjp-chief-samrat-choudhary-alleges/article67726940.ece
  6. https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/samrat-choudhary-interview-nitish-kumar-will-remain-bihar-cm-no-two-ways-about-it-10327097/lite/
  7. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bihar-assembly-elections-2025-bjp-releases-first-list-of-71-candidates-deputy-cm-samrat-chaudhary-to-contest-from/articleshow/124548510.cms
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