Patna: Bihar’s political scene has grown more heated after Ritu Jaiswal, once a key face of the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s women’s wing, signalled that she is considering forming a new political party. Jaiswal, who was expelled from the RJD last year, had already shown her strength when she contested the 2025 Bihar assembly elections as an independent candidate. Her latest announcement has once again pushed her into the centre of political attention.
Jaiswal made the declaration through a post on the social media platform X. In her message, she said that in the coming months she will speak to young people across Bihar, especially women, to understand their expectations and struggles. She added that her decision to create a new party will depend on these conversations and what people want from their leaders.
In her post, Jaiswal said she hopes to build a party where women receive fair representation and young people get real opportunities to move forward. She stressed that her political platform would not allow the buying and selling of election tickets and would reject nepotism. These remarks appeared to point directly at her former party, from which she has been publicly distancing herself since her expulsion.
The dispute between Jaiswal and the RJD became visible during the 2025 assembly elections. The RJD selected Dr Smita Gupta for the Parihar seat, after which Jaiswal decided to run as an independent. Despite lacking party support, she finished second in the race, ahead of the RJD candidate. The seat was ultimately won by the BJP’s Gayatri Devi, who secured 82,644 votes. Jaiswal’s strong performance as an independent suggested that she still holds significant support in the region.
Since leaving the RJD, Jaiswal has repeatedly criticised the party and its leadership. Her new announcement has only added to the political tension in Bihar, leaving many observers wondering whether she will go ahead and launch her own party. For now, her message has opened a new chapter in the state’s political debate, especially around the role of women and youth in leadership.
