By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: A significant reshuffle has occurred in Bihar BJP with the removal of Samrat Choudhary from the post of state president. Dilip Jaiswal has been appointed as his successor. Following Nitish Kumar’s rejoining of the NDA, Choudhary was elevated to the position of Deputy Chief Minister, leading to speculations about a potential new party state president.
BJP’s National General Secretary, Arun Singh, issued a letter stating, “BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda has appointed Bihar Legislative Council member Dr. Dilip Jaiswal as the President of Bihar State of Bharatiya Janata Party. This appointment will be effective immediately.”
Dilip Jaiswal, hailing from the Kalwar caste, is seen as a strategic choice to attract the Vaishya vote bank, which constitutes 36% of the extremely backward voters. Though a resident of Khagaria district, Jaiswal’s political influence spans across Seemanchal, with hopes that his leadership will strengthen BJP’s presence in regions like Kishanganj, Katihar, Supaul, Saharsa, Purnia, and Araria.
Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui
In recent electoral outcomes, the NDA lost nine seats in Bihar, a decline from their 39-seat victory in the previous Lok Sabha elections. The BJP’s decision to appoint Jaiswal from the Bania community aims to reconnect with its core voter base.
For the past 30 years, backward classes have held power in Bihar politics. With an eye on the 2025 assembly elections, the BJP has placed its bets on extremely backward caste representation by choosing Jaiswal from the Seemanchal region.
Adhering to the principle of one person, one post, the BJP assigned a dedicated role to Samrat Choudhary in the government, ending his dual responsibility as state president and Deputy Chief Minister. Choudhary had been the state president since March 23, 2023, previously serving as the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council.
Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui
Born on May 2, 1963, Dilip Jaiswal has been elected to the Bihar Legislative Council three times as an NDA candidate from the Purnia-Araria-Kishanganj constituency. He was also a candidate in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from the Kishanganj seat and has served as the treasurer of Bihar Pradesh BJP for 20 consecutive years. Currently, he is the Minister of Land Reforms and Revenue in the Bihar Government and has been active in BJP politics since his student days. Jaiswal also holds the position of director at Kishanganj Mata Gujri Memorial Medical College Hospital and serves as the in-charge of Sikkim BJP.
Jaiswal’s extensive experience and longstanding association with the BJP are expected to bring significant changes and fortify the party’s stance in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
