Patna: A significant political development unfolded in Bihar on Tuesday as Ritu Jaiswal, popularly known as “Mukhiya Didi”, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), dealing a setback to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Ritu Jaiswal was formally inducted into the BJP during a ceremony held at the party’s state headquarters in Patna.
The induction was conducted by Bihar BJP president Sanjay Saraogi in the presence of minister Dilip Jaiswal.
Rift With RJD Deepened After Ticket Denial
Ritu Jaiswal had been associated with the RJD for several years and had served as the party’s state women’s wing president and spokesperson.
However, tensions between her and the party leadership had intensified over recent months after she was denied a ticket for the Parihar Assembly constituency during the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.
Following the decision, she openly rebelled against the party and contested the election as an independent candidate.
Although she lost the contest, she secured around 64,000 votes, a performance widely seen as evidence of her grassroots political influence.
The RJD later expelled her for six years on charges of indiscipline after her independent candidature.
Social Media Hint Before BJP Entry
Ahead of joining the BJP, Ritu Jaiswal had hinted at her decision through a social media post on May 24.
In the post, she described politics as a medium for public service and said she would continue working in the interests of the people.
Rise From Panchayat Politics
Ritu Jaiswal began her political journey in the Singhwahini Panchayat of Sitamarhi district.
She was elected Mukhiya in 2016 and gained recognition for development work carried out at the panchayat level.
Her work earned several accolades over the years, including:
- The “Adarsh Yuva Sarpanch Samman” by the MIT School of Government in 2017
- The “Champions of Change” award in 2018, presented by the Vice President of India
- The Deendayal Upadhyay Panchayat Sashaktikaran Samman for her panchayat in 2019
Electoral Journey in Bihar Politics
The RJD fielded her from the Parihar Assembly constituency in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections.
Later, she was given organisational responsibilities within the party, including positions as state spokesperson and president of the women’s wing.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the RJD nominated her from the Sheohar parliamentary constituency.
She secured approximately 4.74 lakh votes but lost by around 29,000 votes.
Despite the defeat, political observers continued to view her as an influential grassroots leader with a strong support base in Mithilanchal and among women voters.
BJP Gains Grassroots Face in Mithilanchal
Political analysts said Ritu Jaiswal’s induction could prove strategically important for the BJP due to:
- Her appeal among women voters
- Her influence in panchayat-level politics
- Her active presence in the Mithilanchal region
Her entry is also being viewed as part of the BJP’s broader efforts to strengthen its grassroots organisational network ahead of upcoming political contests in Bihar.
