Patna: Sanjay Kumar Singh, who surprised political observers by defeating Tej Pratap Yadav in the high-profile Mahua constituency, has taken a seat in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s cabinet. During the Bihar Assembly election campaign, Mahua remained one of the most debated seats because Tej Pratap Yadav was contesting from there. Singh’s victory not only reshaped the political mood of the region but also instantly lifted him from a first-time MLA to a state minister, a rare achievement in Bihar politics. His entry into the cabinet has become one of the most talked-about developments after the election results.
Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Chief Minister for the 10th time on Thursday at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, several chief ministers and senior NDA leaders. A total of 26 ministers also took oath, including 14 from the BJP, eight from the JDU, two from the LJP (Ram Vilas), and one each from the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha. In the final list, Sanjay Kumar Singh’s name stood out because he had never served as an MLA or minister earlier, making his elevation a major highlight of the cabinet formation.
Singh won the Mahua seat on a Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) ticket with 87,641 votes. RJD’s Mukesh Kumar Roshan was the runner-up with 42,644 votes, while Tej Pratap Yadav — who campaigned aggressively — came third with 35,703 votes. Tej Pratap had been expelled by his father Lalu Prasad Yadav from both the family and the RJD after a controversial photo of him went viral. He later formed a new party, the Janshakti Janata Dal, and fielded candidates on 43 seats but failed to secure even one win. Sanjay Kumar Singh, known to be close to Chirag Paswan, is originally from Mahua, married to Alka Singh and father of three children. In his affidavit to the Election Commission, he mentioned that some criminal cases were pending against him.
Following the announcement of his ministerial appointment, celebrations erupted in Mahua. Supporters of the LJP (Ram Vilas) distributed sweets, raised slogans and thanked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and party president Chirag Paswan. NDA leaders also congratulated Singh for his appointment. This victory becomes even more important because in the 2020 election, when the undivided LJP fought separately from the NDA, he contested from Mahua but lost. In 2025, however, he not only returned with a commanding win but also entered the state cabinet in his very first term, marking a dramatic turnaround in his political journey.
