Five faces vying for Bihar chief minister’s seat

Patna: Five names from the BJP are being floated to succeed CM Nitish Kumar – Samrat Choudhary, Nityanand Rai, Sanjay Jaiswal, Dilip Jaiswal and Janak Ram.Samrat Choudhary: Deputy Chief Minister, the second most senior figure in the national cabinet. As a former BJP national president, he belongs to the Koeri community and fits the Luv-Kush chemistry promoted by Nitish, a Kurmi. Koeris constitute 4.2% of Bihar’s population. His greatest asset is his aggressive style. However, his RJD and JDU background may work against him.

Nityanand Rai: The MoS alliance, trusted by Amit Shah and can play an important role in weakening RJD votes among the Yadav community. Former state BJP president with ABVP background. But many in the BJP feel that elevating him to the top post in Bihar could anger other OBC and EBC communities.Sanjay Jaiswal: Member of Parliament from Champaran West since 2009 and former Bihar state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is considered a moderate but tough politician when it comes to confronting the opposition. Belons to Vaishya community. He is considered to be close to the top brass of the BJP and fits the caste chemistry of the party.Dilip Jaiswal: Bihar minister who led the state’s BJP when the NDA won 202 seats in the November assembly elections. He belonged to the Vaishya (Kalwar) community and was believed to be close to the Shah. Hailing from Kishanganj, he is a moderate and well-organized politician.Janak Ram: 53-year-old Dalit representative of the BJP in Bihar. He served as Mines Minister and SC and ST Welfare Minister. Janak, a former Gopalganj MP and DRC member, is considered an organizer. He belongs to the Ravidas community and keeps a low profile. He started his political career at the grassroots level of the PPP.