After spending three decades in Bihar politics, a major OBC face in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Hindu The Deputy Chief Minister was caught along with Samrat Chaudhary in Patna for a special interview.
From the Kori caste, he started his political career with Reshtri Janata Dal (RJD) and even served as a minister in Rabri Devi’s government in 1999. He contested the final assembly election from Parabatta assembly constituency in 2010.
He inherited politics from his father Shakuni Chaudhary, who was also seven -time MLAs and MPs, and even his mother Parvati Devi. Mr. Chaudhary left RJD in 2014 and joined JD- (U). In 2018, he joined the BJP and was made MLC and Minister. His graph has been increasing until joining BJP. Former state president of the party, who is also the leader of the BJP Legislature Party, said that the seat sharing will be arranged soon. He said that if the NDA voted in power, Nitish Kumar will remain CM. He also expressed confidence that coalition partners like Getan Ram Manjhi and Chirag Paswan will remain in NDA.
Below are parts of the interview.
The election of Bihar is around the corner; How is the preparation of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) going on?
Under the leadership of Nitish Kumar, Bihar NDA is strong and we are all working hard to break the five partners of NDA (read out of 243, NDA won 206 seats).
There is a belief that you act as a super CM in Bihar, even if you are deputy CM.
No, the party has given me responsibility and I am the leader of the BJP Legislature Party. Nitish Kumar is the Chief Minister and is the person who is distributing. People are well aware that in the last 20 years, Nitish Kumar has given road, electricity, school, dress and many more things for girls students. Nitish Kumar is constantly working for the development of Bihar.
If NDA forms a government, will Nitish Kumar become the Chief Minister?
Obviously, Nitish Kumar is now the Chief Minister and will remain CM tomorrow.
Apart from organizing the deputy CM portfolio, you are also the Finance Minister of the state. Don’t you think many announcements made by CM will become a burden on the state treasury?
Nitish Kumar has taken constant steps to bring positive changes in finance. Before 2005, the government used to spend only 25% of the total budget and today our government is spending 99%. This proves that we are using money and the models of development have also changed. Under the Nitish Kumar government, expenditure and development are visible and people get benefit.
The opposition always alleged that there has been manifold increase in corruption and crime in the NDAS government.
They have no agenda. The charge of corruption is on Lalu Prasad ji, his wife, his son, his daughter. They just want to spoil the name of the NDA, they should give us better evidence. They have been exposed to people with evidence. They should go to people because they only decide who is corrupt and who is not. Everyone knows that Nitish Kumar is a symbol of good governance and criminals are caught in Bihar and are placed behind bars within a hundred hours of any crime. If you do not have an enemy, you can travel to your home even at 12 midnight and no one will touch you but if you have an enemy then inform the police and travel.
In the last assembly election, you contested in 2010 on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) ticket.
Yes, the entire Lalu family lost the election in that election, every member of the Lalu family had to face defeat. My family member contested 12 times but Lalu ji could not transfer votes. We never became an MLA due to Lalu ji’s vote, he should clean this misunderstanding first. Now his son has entered politics, the fact that Lalu ji never voted. Many times, we used to request him to visit that place but he never did so. Then what is the matter of the symbol of RJD if he cannot vote. Like Modi ji is our leader and people vote in the name of the candidate in his name. A similar thing is with Nitish Kumar ji. Lalu ji’s graph kept falling as he lost his grip on the ground. When Lalu ji was completely erased at that time, I won the election. I was with her in bad times and saved her to stay on the chair. I have appreciated him; He did nothing for me.
Would you like to choose once again if the party wants this?
There is no doubt, if the party asks me to contest the election, I am ready even at 12 midnight, however, it is completely dependent on the party to decide.
Vote Core Gaddi Chhadak (Vote Thief Holiday Throne) was the slogan raised by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi throughout Bihar during the Voter Abhikar Yatra.
I think they have made a mistake in increasing the issue. Both Rahul Gandhi and Tejashvi Yadav did it together. Rahul Gandhi is a symbol of the killer of democracy such as implementing emergency, humiliating judges in the Supreme Court, appointing Chief Justice in the Supreme Court. These are the work of Rahul Gandhi family. The person who had gone to jail during the Emergency was Lalu Prasad and named his daughter after the maintenance of the Internal Security Act (MISA) as he himself was detained under the Act and Missa was born. So people thought that both Rahul and Tejashvi have come to crack the jokes. Nitish ji and Modi ji built roads and gave electricity but these two children are riding a motorcycle and riding other jeeps. People do not take them seriously.
You recently said that if this election is between Lalu ji and Nitish ji, where is the BJP?
I said that this election is Modism (Modism) and Nitshwad (Nitishism). Nitish ji has a protection of Modi ji and we are following Nitish ji’s leadership. Modi ji is leading the country, and Nitish ji is leading the state. I always say that RJD follows Lalu ji’s principle and whatever he says is followed in the party. If tomorrow Lalu ji says that someone else is his successor, then he will become his successor. Just see how Tej Pratap Yadav has been dropped from the party and has no effect because his supporters are with Lalu ji. So, people are with Modi ji -Nitish ji and Lalu ji. There is Congress but the party has no existence. Vote in Bihar is for Modi-Natish and Lalu.
How does it feel that Nitish Kumar is the same person who ever called Modi ji for food, then snatched the plate and now he is with you.
Politics changes according to time. When Lalu Prasad elected the Lok Sabha election for the first time in 1977, the Jan Sangh coalition was a partner. Lalu ji became CM for the first time when 33 BJP MLAs supported him to reach the majority. Later he also broke the BJP. The people of Bihar are well aware that it was the BJP that brought Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar to power, but Lalu ji came out as a corrupt leader and Nitish ji gave good governance.
What is yours on Jan Suraj Party founder Prashant Kishore, who has recently made serious allegations against many BJP leaders including you.
He has no political experience; He entered only one and a half years ago and lacks political maturity. He does not have knowledge and experience of Bihar. My affidavit has everything and he should say something new. These people have no issue; They have looted the country. He is doing politics after taking money from Congress party, Telangana and Karnataka.
As far as the partners of your coalition are concerned, what do you rely on?
I trust all my coalition partners and we will contest together as all five NDAs. We all talk about Saba Vikas and respect everyone. We need the support of all our partners.
When will the seat sharing arrangement be made in NDA? Is it true that every 100 seats will be divided between BJP and JD- (U) and will be rested for coalition partners?
This will soon be done when all NDA partners and its party presidents sit together. I know about the number of seats.
What about Chirag Paswan is asking for more seats?
He himself has said that he is with the NDA and the seats do not matter what is the matter to win the seats. The NDA aims to win all 243 seats. The future of Bihar will be made with the help of Chirag ji and Manjhi ji.
Published – September 22, 2025 07:57 am IST
