Former Union Minister Nagmani has made history in Bihar politics by switching parties for the 14th time, a move that has sent ripples across the political landscape. This latest shift marks yet another chapter in his long and varied political career. Nagmani, often referred to as the ‘Lenin of Bihar,’ has seemingly explored the political spectrum, having been affiliated with numerous parties throughout his career. He has not only been a prominent figure in Bihar but has also held positions in the central government.
Before the Bihar Assembly elections, Nagmani left Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj and joined the BJP. This was not his first time with the BJP; he’d previously been with the party, as well as spending time with the RJD, JDU, and Congress, each of which he joined twice. Nagmani’s political journey has included affiliations with a wide array of parties, including the Congress, RJD, JDU, RLSP, NCP, and even the BSP. Beyond changing parties, he has also established his own political organizations on multiple occasions, later merging them with other parties.
Nagmani’s political career began in 1977 when he was first elected as an MLA. He started his political journey with the Shoshit Samaj Dal, a party founded by his father. Since then, he has remained a significant force in Bihar politics, skillfully adapting to the ever-changing political environment and frequently switching parties when necessary.
From his beginnings with the Shoshit Samaj Dal, Nagmani’s political path has led him through the Congress, Janata Dal, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party, Lok Janshakti Party, Janata Dal United, a second stint with the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, and back to the JDU and Bharatiya Janata Party. He has strategically aligned himself with political developments throughout his career.
In addition to party-hopping, Nagmani has formed his own political parties on at least two occasions. In 2015, he founded the Samras Samaj Party. He also formed a Socialist Secular Front, collaborating with the Samajwadi Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Jan Adhikar Party, National People’s Party, and Samajwadi Janata Dal Democratic. However, just two years later, in 2017, he merged his Samras Samaj Party with Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, where he was named the National Executive President. Later that year, Nagmani established the Shoshit Inquilab Party, hoping to position it as a viable political alternative in Bihar. This venture, however, ended when the Shoshit Inquilab Party was merged into the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Nagmani stands out as one of the few leaders in Bihar to have been a member of all four legislative bodies: the Assembly, the Legislative Council, the Rajya Sabha, and the Lok Sabha. He also served as a minister in the central government, holding the position of Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the Atal Bihari government in 2003.
RCP Singh, another politician known for switching parties, made the transition from a bureaucrat to a politician. He resigned from his IAS career to join the JDU, where he was later appointed party president by Nitish Kumar. He also served as the Union Minister of Steel in the Modi government, although relations with Nitish Kumar soured afterward.
After his relationship with Nitish Kumar deteriorated, RCP Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. However, his time with the BJP was short-lived. He subsequently launched his own party, Aap Sab Ki Awaaz, and recently merged it into Jan Suraaj. Currently, RCP Singh is focused on formulating a strategic plan for Jan Suraaj in preparation for the upcoming assembly elections.
Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, a key figure in CM Nitish Kumar’s party and one of his closest allies, has also been identified as a politician who has changed parties to suit his convenience. After the death of his father in 1982, Vijay Chaudhary resigned from his government job and contested the assembly elections from Dalsinghsarai on a Congress ticket. He served as an MLA from 1983 to 1995 and was also the leader of the Congress Legislature Party. While he lost elections in 1995 and 2000, he later became the General Secretary of the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee from 2000 to 2005. In 2005, he joined the JDU and is now considered one of its most influential leaders.
