In the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, a striking contrast emerges as both the state’s poorest and wealthiest candidates hail from the Opposition’s Mahagatbandhan (grand alliance) bloc. These individuals are set to contest for a seat in the 243-member Assembly, representing the Ara (Bhojpur district) and Lauriya (West Champaran) constituencies. Voters in these key regions will cast their ballots in separate phases on November 6 and 11, respectively.
“It’s not about wealth, but the richness of character that truly defines a person, just as discontent can make the affluent feel poor,” remarked Qayamuddin Ansari, the CPI-ML candidate for Ara. This sentiment resonated as he campaigned through the narrow, often squalid lanes of Sheetal Tola in Ara town on a rainy October 31 morning. Surrounded by a small group of supporters waving red flags and banners of allied parties, the 48-year-old Ansari moved with remarkable pace, undeterred by the knee-deep rainwater pooling in the filthy bylanes. He was clearly driven to cover as much ground as possible despite the inclement weather.
“Our campaign schedule was set, and a little rain won’t stop us,” Ansari explained. “I’m campaigning entirely on foot because I don’t own a car or any other vehicle.” When questioned about his bank balance, he chuckled, revealing with a wide smile, “Just 17.5 thousand rupees.” A supporter, hoisting a red flag, proudly declared, “He isn’t just the poorest candidate in Bihar, but in all of Hindustan (India).” Ansari simply smiled and continued his brisk walk.
Citing American clergyman and social reformer Henry Ward Beecher, Ansari stated, “A person’s true wealth lies in who they are, not in what they possess.” When pressed on whether he considers himself financially poor but spiritually rich, he affirmed, “Absolutely! The immense support from the local community and my party members makes me feel incredibly rich.” He added, “My lack of cash or a hefty bank balance is irrelevant to me.” However, Subodh Kumar, a 55-year-old electronics shop owner near the bustling Shivganj area, offered a different perspective: “While he enjoys strong support from the lower strata of society, the upper caste voters in this constituency still lean towards the BJP.”
During the 2020 Assembly election, BJP candidate Amrendra Pratap Singh secured victory with over 45% of the votes. Singh had consistently won the Ara seat since 2005, but this time, his party opted to field Sanjay Singh Tiger instead. Adding to the electoral mix, the Jan Suraaj Party has nominated Vijay Gupta, a renowned local doctor. Amidst the campaigning, Ram Pravesh Shah, a sexagenarian garment shop worker, remarked, “Kya pade ho chakker mein, koi nahi hai takkar mein (Why ponder? There’s no real competition).” Shielding himself with a tattered umbrella from the drizzle, Shah confirmed his long-standing loyalty to the CPI-ML.
Ansari, a former student wing leader for his party in the 1990s, currently serves as the State secretary of Insaf Manch, an organization dedicated to assisting individuals wrongly accused, framed, or imprisoned by law enforcement in terror-related cases. Despite contesting Assembly polls in 2015 and 2020 without success – securing only 3.23% of the votes and a third-place finish in 2015 – Ansari is optimistic. “This time, the public response is overwhelming; people are clear about their vote,” he asserted. When questioned about the reason for this potential shift, Ansari, a postgraduate from H.D. Jain College, offered a direct answer while greeting residents in the challenging by-lanes of Sheetal Tola: “Because we aspire for a society where even a humble person like me can exercise their rights with dignity.”
“I possess no land, vehicle, house, or business,” Ansari stated, highlighting his modest background as a member of the Extremely Backward Class (EBC) weavers’ community. “My family relies solely on the modest income my wife earns as an Anganwadi worker.” His election affidavit reveals cash holdings of just ₹20,000, a bank balance of ₹13,000, and jewelry valued at ₹59,500, bringing his total declared assets to ₹2.32 lakh. Despite facing seven registered cases across various police stations, he has not been convicted in any.
As part of the Opposition alliance, the CPI-ML is fielding candidates in 20 constituencies and currently holds 12 seats in the 243-member Assembly.
In stark contrast, Ran Kaushal Pratap Singh, also known as Guddu Singh, the VIP candidate from Lauriya in West Champaran district, stands out as the wealthiest contender in the Bihar elections. This builder has declared an astonishing ₹373 crore in assets through his election affidavit.
Singh’s declared wealth includes non-agricultural assets totaling ₹352 crore, shares and securities valued at ₹5.51 crore, and agricultural land worth ₹2.58 crore. His wife’s assets are also substantial, amounting to ₹131 crore, with investments of ₹6.59 crore. The family boasts a collection of seven luxury vehicles, approximately 3.4 kg of gold jewelry, and Singh personally owns 600 grams of gold and diamond jewelry, alongside foreign-made firearms. Despite their vast riches, Singh carries loans of around ₹14.46 crore, and his wife has liabilities of ₹1.12 crore.
Singh faces a formidable opponent in Vinay Bihari, the three-time incumbent MLA and a well-known Bhojpuri film singer. Bihari secured victories in the 2015 and 2020 Assembly elections on a BJP ticket, having previously won as an independent candidate in 2010. The Lauriya constituency is scheduled for the second phase of polling on November 11, with election results expected on November 14.