Mokama's battle of bahubalis: RJD to field strongman Surajbhan Singh's wife against JDU's Anant Singh

Bahubali leader Surajbhan Singh has joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) after resigning from Pashupati Paras' Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party, paving way for a high-stakes battle of strength political prowess from the Mokama seat in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections 2025. Surajbhan Singh was inducted into the party by Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday night.

Now, sources say the RJD is set to field Surajbhan’s wife, Veena Devi from the Makoma assembly constituency against JDU leader and another strongman Anant Singh. Veena is already a member of the RJD. She is likely to be the RJD candidate from Mokama and is expected to file her nomination on Thursday..

Faceoff between bahubalis in Mokama

The contest in Mokama has now become particularly interesting, with the seat set to witness a showdown between two influential leaders. The JD(U) has given the ticket to strongman Anant Singh, also known as Chhote Sarkar, while the RJD is expected to field either Surajbhan Singh or his wife, Veena Devi. Both leaders have a reputation for being dominant figures in their constituencies. While Anant Singh has served as an MLA for many years, Surajbhan Singh is a former MP and will campaign vigorously to secure a victory for the RJD.

Anant Singh's stronghold

Historically, the people of Mokama have favoured Anant Singh. He won the seat on an RJD ticket in 2020. Later, after being convicted in a case, his wife Neelam Devi won the by-election in 2022. This time, Anant Singh has switched parties.

Tejashwi strategy to attract Bhumihar votes

By bringing Surajbhan Singh into the RJD, Tejashwi Yadav aims to consolidate support from the Bhumihar community. Recently, two other Bhumihar leaders—Bogo Singh from Begusarai and JD(U) MLA Dr Sanjeev Kumar from Khagaria—also joined the RJD. Both are expected to receive tickets. Sources suggest that the RJD may field candidates from the Bhumihar community in 10 seats this time.

According to Bihar’s caste survey, Bhumihars make up 2.86 per cent of the population, while Brahmins constitute 3.65 per cent. In the Ganga-Sone belt, which includes constituencies in Bhojpur, Rohtas, Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Begusarai, Samastipur, and Madhubani, the Bhumihar community plays a significant role in determining electoral outcomes.

About Mokama assembly constituency

Mokama, a general category constituency in Bihar's legislative assembly, is part of the Munger Lok Sabha seat and one of Patna district’s 14 assembly segments. Established in 1951, the constituency comprises Ghoswari, Mokama, and Pandarak blocks, along with 11 gram panchayats.

According to Election Commission data, the Mokama constituency had 275,028 registered voters during the 2020 Assembly elections, including 144,727 men, 130,298 women, and 3 voters from the third gender. Additionally, 789 postal votes were cast, and there were 1,350 service voters, of whom 1,304 were men and 46 were women.

Mokama will go to the polls in the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections on November 6, along with 121 other constituencies across the state.