Rising Influence of the ‘Babu Saheb from Chhapra’ in Bihar BJP
Patna (Bihar): The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections have reshaped the internal power dynamics within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). With former Union Minister and Ara MP R.K. Singh pushed to the sidelines, Chhapra MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy has emerged as one of the most influential leaders in Bihar’s BJP unit.
Throughout the campaign, R.K. Singh remained conspicuously absent from party platforms and public events. Neither did the organization involve him in key activities, nor did he show any initiative from his side. In stark contrast, Rajiv Pratap Rudy became the most prominent Rajput face of the BJP in the state, with his presence visible across major rallies, strategy sessions, and party communications.
R.K. Singh’s resentment, however, is not without reason. In Ara, those who allegedly worked against him during elections have also blocked his path within the party — first by denying him a Rajya Sabha seat, and later by preventing his nomination to the Legislative Council. His grievance deepened when the BJP sent Upendra Kushwaha, who had lost his election, to the Rajya Sabha and appointed Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha as an MLC, despite R.K. Singh’s record of effective governance and a controversy-free tenure in Ara.
Meanwhile, Rajiv Pratap Rudy launched the “Rana Sanga Campaign”, aimed at uniting Rajput voters under the BJP banner. His campaign extended beyond his own constituency — he worked behind the scenes for BJP as well as NDA candidates across Bihar, helping the alliance consolidate upper-caste votes.
Through its ticket distribution, the BJP has also conveyed a clear message — that it continues to value the Rajput community’s political strength. While their representation in the cabinet may have been limited, their dominance in ticket allocation underscored the party’s intent to reaffirm Rajputs as one of its key pillars in Bihar politics.
Given his organizational efforts and outreach, political observers believe that Rajiv Pratap Rudy may be rewarded handsomely once the election results are declared — possibly with a major organizational role or even a return to the Union Cabinet.
For now, the chapter of R.K. Singh seems to have gone cold, and within Bihar BJP, the era of the “Babu Saheb from Chhapra” appears to be making a strong comeback.
