Former Union Minister Nagmani created a new record in Bihar politics on Tuesday. Nagmani once again began his political journey by switching parties and joining a new one. The move by the former minister is being discussed everywhere. Nagmani, known as the ‘Lenin of Bihar,’ has probably been a part of almost every political party in Bihar. He has made his presence felt not only in Bihar but also in central politics.
Before the Bihar Assembly elections, he left Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj and joined the BJP. This was his second time in the BJP, and he has also been in the RJD, JDU, and Congress twice each. Nagmani has previously been in the Congress, RJD, JDU, RLSP, NCP, and even the BSP. Moreover, along with changing parties, he has also formed his own parties several times, merging them into other parties.
Nagmani first became an MLA in 1977. He started his political career with the Shoshit Samaj Dal formed by his father. After this, he never looked back in Bihar politics. As it suited his political situation, Nagmani never hesitated in changing parties.
Starting his political journey with the Shoshit Samaj Dal, Nagmani successively joined the Congress, Janata Dal, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party, Lok Janshakti Party, Janata Dal United, then Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, then JDU, and then the Bharatiya Janata Party, aligning himself with the political situation as he saw fit.
During the politics of changing parties, there were at least two occasions when Nagmani also formed his own party. In 2015, Nagmani formed the Samras Samaj Party, and then he also formed a Socialist Secular Front 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, Nagmani merged his Samras Samaj Party with Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party. Upendra Kushwaha also made him the National Executive President of RLSP. After this, in 2017 itself, Nagmani formed the Shoshit Inquilab Party. He claimed that his party would become an alternative in Bihar. However, this claim of Nagmani did not last, and he merged the Shoshit Inquilab Party into the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Nagmani is one of the few leaders in the state who has been a member of all four houses – the Assembly, the Legislative Council, the Rajya Sabha, and the Lok Sabha. Besides, he has also been a minister in the central government. In 2003, he was the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the Atal Bihari government.
RCP Singh, who transitioned from a bureaucrat to a politician, is also on the list of party-hopping leaders in the state. RCP Singh left his IAS job and joined the JDU. Nitish Kumar then made RCP Singh the party president. RCP also became the Union Minister of Steel in the Modi government. However, after this, their relations with Nitish Kumar soured.
After the souring of relations with Nitish Kumar, RCP Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. However, RCP Singh could not stay with the BJP for long. After that, RCP launched a party called Aap Sab Ki Awaaz. Some time ago, he merged his party into Jan Suraaj. Currently, RCP Singh is formulating the party’s strategy in Jan Suraaj for the upcoming assembly elections.
Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, an important pillar of CM Nitish Kumar’s party and one of Nitish Kumar’s most important and special associates, is also on the list of leaders who have changed parties as per their convenience. Vijay Chaudhary resigned from his government job after his father’s death in 1982 and contested the assembly elections from Dalsinghsarai on a Congress ticket. From 1983 to 95, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary was an MLA. During this time, he was the leader of the Congress Legislature Party. He also contested elections in 1995 and 2000 but lost. From 2000 to 2005, he was the General Secretary of the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee. In 2005, he joined the JDU, and today he is one of the most prominent leaders of the JDU.