Party hopping, Bihar style

Party hopping is a term normally associated with the hip set. Not so in Bihar, which is all set to elect its next government. While comparative data (the PHPP index — party hops per politician) is hard to come by, most pundits put Bihar safely on top of the pile.

In fact, if there were an Olympic Games for party switching, Bihar politicians would bring home the gold, silver, and bronze — possibly while announcing a new coalition mid-ceremony. Ideology, once a badge of honour, now functions more like Wi-Fi: you simply connect to whichever network has the strongest signal in your constituency. The Congress to the BJP, the RJD to the JD(U), the RSP to the LJP, the RLSP to the RLM, and back again — everyone’s been everywhere, collectively adding up to an alphabet soup of convenience.

Nitish Kumar, the incumbent and Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister, is the undisputed champion of political flexibility. He may not have switched parties often (just twice: from the Janata Party to Samata Party in 1994, and then merged it with the JDU), but has somersaulted alliances five times, each time landing perfectly on the chief minister’s chair with the dexterity that would do Nadia Comaneci proud. 

Former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, no greenhorn himself, started with the Congress, next went to the Janata Dal, then to the RJD; then to the JDU - before starting his own party: the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM). He continues to treat alliances like dating apps, swiping right on whichever side looks most promising. He hails from Gaya — though it must be clarified that the moniker ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’ belongs to Gaya Lal from Haryana, and has absolutely nothing to do with Manjhi.

Topping the leader board is Nagmani Kushwaha — former Union minister, with a reported 14 party-changes. His political résumé now resembles a Lalu Prasad-era railway timetable — departures frequent, arrivals uncertain. To be fair, he came back and re-joined a few parties he had earlier quit.

Srikant Nirala, never one to miss a crossover, must get a shout-out, too. He started with the Congress, then joined the erstwhile Janata Dal. Next moved to the RJD, then to the JDU, became an independent, before getting to the BJP, where he remains – at least till the time when this article was being written.

Hot on his heels is Upendra Kushwaha, who keeps forming and merging political parties like a serial entrepreneur. His political outfits arrive with the enthusiasm of tech startups — bold, ambitious, and often short-lived. If all his political startups secured seed funding, he’d be a billionaire by now.

Accomplished Biharis, but newer entrants to the political field, have kept pace. After long and successful careers in films, cricket, and diplomacy, Shatrughan Sinha, Kirti Azad, and Pavan Varma have caught up fast. 

Shatrughan Sinha started his political career with a flourish at the BJP, rose to become a Union minister. Then, much like in his successful movie career where he changed from villain to hero and then on to character roles, he moved from the BJP to the Congress — for four years — and is now a Rajya Sabha member with the TMC. But it can safely be said: picture abhi baaki hai.

All-rounder Kirti Azad too began with the BJP. After a long innings there, he switched to the Congress, but having failed to score there, he, like Sinha, has moved to the TMC. Presume he will play out the rest of his political innings here.

The suave and erudite Ambassador Varma has used his diplomatic skills, deftly navigating through leadership roles as seamlessly as pages in one of his books. First with the JDU, next with the TMC, and now he’s associated with Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party. One hopes there’s no sequel to this one.

Bihar’s politicians have turned opportunism into an art form — a survival instinct so refined, it could be taught at Harvard. Ultimately, this is Bihar’s political genius — turning instability into entertainment and defection into tradition. Party loyalty may be fleeting, but the humour it generates is enduring.

Lloyd Mathias is a business strategist and independent director. X: @LloydMathias.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.