Patna: A transformation is seemingly taking place in Bihar’s political landscape. Politics in the state has always been a male-dominated field, but this time political parties have shown a greater willingness to trust women candidates. Though the number of women contesting is still small, their presence has become more visible than before. Parties across the spectrum have joined this shift.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Mahagathbandhan (Opposition alliance) and Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj have all chosen women who connect well with people, both online and on the ground. These women come from many walks of life. While some are doctors and lawyers, others are singers, activists and teachers. Some carry political legacies.
Breaking The Boys’ Club
Dr Jagriti Thakur is the granddaughter of former Chief Minister and Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur. She is contesting from Morwa constituency in Samastipur district as a Jan Suraaj candidate. She lives in Patna and is a doctor by profession.
Her entry reflects focus on reviving Bihar’s socialist heritage in a modern setting.
Lata Singh, daughter of former Union Minister R.C.P. Singh, is contesting from Asthawan in Nalanda on a Jan Suraaj ticket. She is 36 years old and practices law in the Supreme Court. She studied at Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University.
Her declared assets are worth Rs 4.57 crore. Her entry is seen as a step toward her father’s political comeback in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s home district.
Divya Gautam, cousin of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, is contesting from Digha in Patna on a CPI(ML) ticket. She is a theatre artist and long-time member of the All India Students Association (AISA).
She studied journalism at Patna College and later completed a postgraduate degree in women’s studies from Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS), Hyderabad. She once taught at Patna Women’s College.
Divya cleared the prestigious Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam but chose not to take a government job, devoting herself instead to social work.
Maithili Thakur, a well-known folk singer, is BJP’s candidate from Alinagar segment in Darbhanga district. Her popularity among young audiences and her social media reach make her a strong choice.
Union Minister Nityanand Rai said many BJP candidates requested her presence during campaigns because of her public connect.
Kavita Saha is JD(U)’s candidate from Madhepura. She served as the chairperson of the local municipal corporation. She is the first non-Yadav candidate from this seat in decades. Her selection indicates JD(U)’s attempt to balance caste equations in the region.
Indu Gupta, a social worker, is contesting from Hasanpur in Samastipur as a Jan Suraaj candidate. The constituency has a large Yadav, Muslim and Sahni voter base. Her selection signals a new political approach in the area.
Raveena Kushwaha is contesting from Vibhutipur on a JD(U) ticket. She is the second wife of former MLA Ram Balak Singh. Her entry follows her husband’s defeat in 2020, a trend often seen in Bihar’s politics.
Sweety Singh, a lawyer with no political background, has been fielded by the BJP from Kishanganj. Her nomination shows the party’s effort to bring professional women into politics.
Chhoti Kumari, chairperson of Saran Zila Parishad, is BJP’s candidate from Rosda. The party replaced its sitting MLA, C.N. Gupta, with her to introduce a fresh local face.
Sonam Rani Sardar is JD(U)’s candidate from Triveniganj in Supaul. The seat has been represented by women from the party since 2010.
Analysts see this as a continuation of JD(U)’s “commitment” to women’s empowerment.
Archana Chandra, a social worker from Nabinagar in Aurangabad, is contesting on a Jan Suraaj ticket. She has worked on women’s issues for years.
After filing her nomination, she said people would vote for their children’s future this time. She added that long years of rule by Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar had not stopped migration or poverty in Bihar.
Poonam Sinha is contesting from Nalanda as a Jan Suraaj candidate. She is a former Zila Parishad member. She said her fight is against unemployment and neglect.
She believes change is coming to the region.
Shreyasi Singh, an Asian Games gold medalist and sitting BJP MLA, is contesting again from Jamui. She is the daughter of late Union Minister Digvijay Singh and former MP Putul Kumari.
Usha Kiran, Jan Suraaj candidate from Surasand in Sitamarhi, is a local leader with years of political experience. She was once a BSP candidate for the Lok Sabha and is among Jan Suraaj’s founding members.
Preeti Kinnar, a transgender rights activist, has been nominated by Jan Suraaj from Bhore in Gopalganj. The reserved seat was earlier held by JD(U)’s Sunil Kumar.
Her nomination is a strong symbol of inclusion for the third-gender community.
Tanuja Kumari is contesting from Islampur in Nalanda as a Jan Suraaj candidate. She served as district council chairperson and was elected unopposed in 2020.
Neha Kumari (Nataraj), a PhD scholar and social worker, is contesting from Chenari in Rohtas on a Jan Suraj ticket. A Zilla Parishad member since 2016, she represents the Dalit community.
Known for her clean image and dedication, she has strong support in her area.
The Numbers Behind The Trend
The NDA has given tickets to nine women each in the BJP and the JD(U) lists, which is about nine percent of their total seats. Jan Suraaj, on the other hand, has placed women at the centre of its campaign. Its first list included candidates like Dr Jagriti Thakur and Lata Singh, who represent both legacy and professionalism.
The Mahagathbandhan has not released its full list so far, but the CPI(ML) has already gained attention with Divya Gautam’s candidacy.
In the 2020 Assembly elections, women voters outnumbered men in several constituencies. The NDA had won 72 of the 119 seats where women’s turnout was higher.
Experts say women focus more on issues like safety, education and welfare rather than caste. Their votes are now seen as decisive in Bihar politics.
From Jagriti Thakur and Maithili Thakur to Kavita Saha and Divya Gautam, Bihar is witnessing the rise of a new generation of women leaders.
Whether this is a real shift or an election strategy will become clear after the results on November 14. But one thing is certain. Bihar’s women voters have become kingmakers. Political parties now understand their power. The success of these new faces will decide if this change becomes a lasting chapter or remains only a political experiment.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
