Patna: Anant Singh, the veteran politician who has dominated the Mokama constituency for nearly three decades, was arrested late on Saturday night in connection with the murder of Dularchand, sending ripples through Bihar’s political landscape. The 68-year-old leader, whose career has been marked by a mix of political influence and criminal allegations, now faces an uncertain future, raising questions about who will carry forward his political legacy.
Singh, the youngest of four brothers, inherited the family’s political foothold in Mokama after his elder brother, Dilip Singh, who was popularly known as “Bade Sarkar,” laid the groundwork for the family’s influence in the region. Dilip Singh first contested elections in 1985, securing victories in 1985, 1990, and 1995. His defeat in the 2000 assembly elections against the formidable Suraj Bhan Singh paved the way for Anant Singh to enter electoral politics.
Anant Singh won the Mokama seat in 2005 and retained it through successive elections until 2020. During this period, his wife, Neelam Devi, also emerged in the political arena, winning the Mokama by-election in 2022 on an RJD ticket after Anant Singh lost his seat due to criminal charges. Neelam Devi continues to serve as the sitting MLA.
Attention is now turning to the next generation. Singh has twin sons, Ankit and Abhishek, both graduate students in political science living in Delhi. With their father incarcerated, speculation has grown that the twins could take on a more active political role in Mokama, potentially continuing the family’s decades-long dominance in the constituency.
