In Bihar’s dynamic political arena, politicians who switch parties are no longer considered outsiders but are increasingly viewed as valuable assets. With the assembly elections heating up, the state is buzzing with a flurry of defections, opportunistic alliances, and a noticeable shift in focus from ideological principles to sheer electoral viability.
Just this week, former MP and four-time MLA Sarfaraz Alam made a significant move, joining the Jan Suraaj Party under the leadership of Prashant Kishor. Alam, whose political journey has seen him represent the Jokihat assembly seat four times with different party affiliations, including the RJD and JD(U), exemplifies a broader trend in Bihar where practical considerations often overshadow ideological stances.
Strategic Maneuvering in Ticket Allotment
The upcoming elections are marked by a clear strategy of awarding tickets to political turncoats. A considerable number of candidates who previously won elections with different party tickets are now contesting under new banners. Following the recent political realignments, seven MLAs from the RJD and Congress have switched sides to the NDA, and most of them have been duly rewarded with tickets for the upcoming polls.
Notable among these defectors are Sangeeta Kumari, who transitioned from the RJD to the BJP and secured a ticket for Mohania, and Bharat Bind, a former RJD member now vying for the Bhabhua seat on a BJP ticket. The JD(U) has also embraced a similar strategy, offering tickets to four ex-RJD MLAs, including Kedarnath Singh (Baniyapur), Chhote Lal Rai (Parsa), Vibha Devi (Nawada), and Chetan Anand (Nabinagar).
The political landscape in Mokama has seen a particularly striking shift, with the JD(U) fielding Anant Singh, the husband of the sitting RJD MLA Neelam Devi.
Defectors from the Congress have also found their place within the NDA. Siddharth Saurav is contesting from Bikram as a BJP candidate, while former minister Murari Kumari Gautam will represent the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) from Chenari.
The RJD has mirrored these moves, offering tickets to leaders who have defected from the JD(U) and other parties. Surajbhan Singh’s wife, Beena Devi, was quickly nominated as the RJD candidate from Mokama after his defection from the RLSP. The party has also welcomed JD(U) defectors Sanjiv Kumar (Parbatta) and Bogo Singh (Matihani), alongside independents like Shailendra Pratap Singh from Taria.
Winning Chances Aren’t Guaranteed
However, switching parties does not automatically translate into electoral victory. Several incumbent legislators who changed loyalties have failed to secure tickets for the upcoming elections. Prahlad Yadav, who supported the NDA during a crucial trust vote, was denied a BJP ticket for Suryagarha, which instead went to the JD(U). Mishrilal Yadav’s defection from VIP to BJP has not yet resulted in a candidate nomination.
These instances underscore the complex and often ruthless decision-making processes involved in ticket distribution. In Gaura Bauram, Swarna Singh was overlooked in favor of her husband, Sujit Kumar Singh, despite her defection. Similarly, Prakashveer, the sitting MLA from Rajoili who recently joined the NDA, did not receive a nomination.
According to senior Congress leader Ashutosh Sharma, the prevalence of turncoats serves as a barometer for political momentum in Bihar. He notes that established parties readily welcome leaders they previously opposed, a trend that can complicate traditional party structures. This often leads to dedicated party workers being sidelined in favor of influential newcomers, potentially causing resentment at the grassroots level. Sharma observes that in Bihar, personal networks often hold more sway than party symbols, and winnability trumps loyalty.
Smaller Parties Engage in the Game
The trend of defections isn’t limited to major parties. In Gopalganj, former MLA Riyazul Haque Raju and Kartar Singh Yadav, son of strongman Dadan Pahalwan, joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with their supporters. In Shahabad, leaders like Rajesh Kushwaha and Manish Yadav switched to the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) in the presence of its chief, Upendra Kushwaha.
‘Erosion of Ideological Commitment’
Political analysts interpret this surge in defections as a sign of the diminishing ideological commitment in Bihar’s politics. Political observer Priya Darshan from Patna highlights that the state’s political landscape, once defined by party loyalty and conviction, is now primarily driven by pragmatism. She notes that parties are increasingly evaluating candidates based on caste, local influence, and past electoral performance rather than their previous allegiances. In Bihar, party lines have become fluid, where loyalty is only valued if it translates into votes, transforming parties into more of electoral machines than ideological entities.
For political parties, incorporating defectors is a calculated risk; a candidate with an established voter base can be decisive in closely contested elections. For the candidates themselves, switching parties offers a renewed political career and enhanced bargaining power.