On the eve of Bihar’s first-phase polling, Jan Suraaj candidate Sanjay Singh quit the party and joined the BJP
Bihar has a long legacy of political instability and defections dating back to the 1960s
Despite anti-defection laws, party-hopping remains widespread — 17 MLAs changed parties between 2020 and 2025
In a dramatic political development on the eve of the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, Jan Suraaj candidate from Munger, Sanjay Singh, quit his party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Singh’s switch, coming just a day before voting on November 6, 2025, has not only reshaped local electoral equations but also reignited the debate over Bihar’s deep-rooted culture of political defections.
This defection is a major blow to Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj, which has been struggling to retain its candidates ahead of the polls. In October, three of its nominees — Akhilesh Kumar alias Mutor Sao from Danapur, Dr. Satya Prakash Tiwari from Brahmapur, and Dr. Shashi Shekhar Sinha from Gopalganj — had already withdrawn from the contest.
Prashant Kishor blamed the BJP for orchestrating the switchover. The sudden development has triggered speculation that the BJP may be using pressure tactics to weaken the emerging party. Jan Suraaj has accused the ruling party of “using force” to prevent its candidates from contesting, claiming the BJP fears its growing grassroots connect.
With campaigning now closed for 121 Assembly constituencies across 18 districts, Bihar goes to polls in the first phase on Thursday, November 6, 2025.
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Bihar has long been infamous for frequent party-hopping. While Haryana is officially recognized as the birthplace of defection politics — after its first government was toppled in 1967 — Bihar soon became the symbol of this trend.
The now-famous Hindi phrase “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram”, referring to habitual party-switching, originated in Haryana in 1967. It was coined after MLA Gaya Lal, who changed parties three times in a single day. However, Bihar’s turbulent political scene soon mirrored this pattern.
Between 1967 and 1972, Bihar’s politics descended into chaos. The state saw nine governments in just five years, with Chief Ministers changing as frequently as alliances did. Leaders such as Bhola Paswan Shastri, Mahamaya Prasad Sinha, Satish Prasad Singh, BP Mandal, Sardar Harihar Singh, Daroga Prasad Rai, and Karpoori Thakur each briefly held power, reflecting the instability of that era.
The 1967 elections marked a turning point when the Congress, which had ruled Bihar unchallenged for decades, lost control of the state. Public anger over corruption, drought mismanagement, and food shortages paved the way for a non-Congress coalition government led by Mahamaya Prasad Sinha.
That government was remarkable for bringing together ideological opposites — the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the Communist Party of India — a unity engineered by socialist leader Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia. But the alliance soon collapsed as defections began. Around three dozen MLAs, mostly from the Socialist Party, switched sides, toppling the government and setting a new precedent for political opportunism.
At the time, India had no anti-defection law, meaning legislators could change parties freely without disqualification. The political chaos of those years deeply influenced Bihar’s political culture, where loyalty often took a backseat to power.
Even decades later, defection remains a defining feature of Bihar’s politics. According to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), 17 MLAs changed parties during the 2020–2025 term of the Bihar Legislative Assembly.
The BJP emerged as the biggest gainer, inducting seven MLAs from three different parties. Both the RJD and JD(U) absorbed five MLAs each from rival camps. The ADR report noted that the RJD lost the highest number of MLAs (five), while the BJP and CPI(ML) did not lose any of their members to defection.
The report also revealed that during the outgoing Assembly’s five-year term, 15 sessions were held with 146 sittings, averaging 29 days per year. In that period, 99 bills were introduced and all were passed on the same day, indicating a legislature dominated by executive decisions rather than debate.
From the chaotic 1960s to the present day, Bihar’s politics has continued to be defined by defections, shifting loyalties, and fragile alliances. The question now is — will this cycle of party-switching continue, or will this election mark the beginning of real change? [Rh]
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