BJP speaks against dynasty politics in Bihar, but its youngest cabinet minister is the daughter of a former union minister: Shreyasi Singh and the question of ‘parivarvaad’

BIHAR POLITICS is often dominated by discourse around nepotism and what we call parivarvaad (dynasty politics), with candidates from the same families gaining seats and higher ranks in the parties. International shooter and sports minister of the state Shreyasi Singh is no exception as she comes from a long line of politicians in her family.

In a November 2025 interview with Lallantop, the Indian shooting athlete said, “BJP is not the kind of party where only people from certain families are favored,” citing the example of a Kisan Morcha Mandal President rising as CM face without any dynasty name. Nonetheless, she maintained that there is nothing wrong with her or anyone else wanting to pursue the same profession as their parents.

However, the answer strays away from the ground reality, especially in Bihar politics. The Gandhis and Yadavs have become synonymous in discussions about dynasty politics. Bharatiya Janata Party has raised their voices against nepotism in Congress and presented itself as an alternative. The same script was followed by the NDA in Bihar, with the prime minister himself slamming the Lalu Prasad-Tejaswi Yadav family for indulging in parivarvaad (dynasty politics). 

In 2026, the NDA named Samrat Choudhary as the Chief Minister, making him the first CM of Bihar from the BJP.  He is not a new name in politics either. Choudhary’s father, Shakuni Choudhary, is a seven-time MLA in Bihar and a former MP, while Samrat’s mother, Parvati Devi, was also an MLA from Tarapur in Bihar.

The dynasty politics and nepotism tag follows Shreyasi Singh as well. When she was named a member of the NDA cabinet in Bihar, questions were raised about how the fall of one political family immediately led to the rise of others in the state.

See Also: Delusional Take: “Humare Yahan Koi Apradh Nahi Hai, Crime Ho Sakte Hain”, says Samrat Chaudhary at a Delhi Event that Bihar Has No “Apradh” but Crimes Can Happen

Who is Bihar Sports Minister Shreyasi Singh?

Born on August 29, 1991, Shreyasi Singh hails from Gidhaur in Jamui district of Bihar. She followed in the footsteps of her grandfather, Kumar Surendra Singh, and father, Digvijay Singh, who were both presidents of the National Rifle Associations of India, and became an international shooter, representing India in various competitions.

In the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, she won a silver medal in the singles double trap event, followed by a bronze medal in the double trap team event at the Asian Games, the same year. She represented Bihar in the 61st National Shooting championship and won a gold medal in 2017. Carrying the momentum, Singh went on to win a gold medal in the women’s double trap event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

Political legacy

Shreyasi’s father, Digvijay Singh, is a former Union Minister under different administrations. He held the portfolio of External affairs under PM Chandra Shekhar, while under Atal Bihar Vajpayee he also held the Foreign Ministry along with Railways, Commerce and Industry till 2004. 

Shreyasi’s mother, Putul Kumari, took over her husband’s parliamentary seat in Banka, Bihar, after the latter died in 2010. She was not re-elected in the constituency during the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, her younger daughter was making inroads in state politics.

BJP ticket and questions over dynasty politics

In 2020, Shreyasi Singh entered politics by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party. After more than a decade, a member of the family was part of a national party after Digvijay and Putul Kumari were fighting as independent candidates in the Lok Sabha. Shreyasi contested and won her hometown seat of Jamui in Bihar assembly elections. She repeated the same in the 2025 assembly elections, with the party granting her a position in the cabinet this time around. In November 2025, she was awarded the Information and Public relations, and Sports ministries in the Government of Bihar, making her the youngest minister in the cabinet at the age of 34.

See Also: Curious Case of Deepak Prakash, the Bihar Minister who never contested an election

Nepotism and Dynasty politics in Bihar

The debate around political dynasties in Bihar is not limited to individual leaders or political parties. The ADR analysis, published in September 2025, offers a broader picture of how dynasty politics continues to dominate in the state assembly.

According to the report, 96 out of 360 sitting MPs, MLAs and MLCs in Bihar were from political backgrounds. The figure stood at 27%, compared to the national average of approximately 21%. The ADR's definition of dynastic politics includes elected representatives whose immediate or extended family members have previously held elected positions or significant government posts.

Shreyasi Singh features in this category because both her parents had held political positions before she entered electoral politics. Her journey also highlights an important distinction in the debate around nepotism. Her achievements as an international shooter are independent of her family's political legacy. She won medals for India before entering electoral politics and subsequently secured two electoral victories from Jamui.

However, the question of political access to those entering the democratic setup from scratch remains an important one. While an individual may have the right to pursue the same profession as their parents, as Shreyasi had argued in her Lallantop interview, nepotism in politics raises questions about equal opportunities in a democracy.

Shreyasi's defence of the BJP's political culture standing as an alternative for dynasty politics done by the other parties, has been put under scrutiny. Critics argue that her own entry into electoral politics and her subsequent rise to the cabinet is a contradiction to the claim her party makes.

_[OG/HP]

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