Bihar Elections 2025: Why party-hoppers are becoming key strategy for electoral success

In Bihar’s dynamic political environment, shifting allegiances have become an essential part of the electoral process as the state heads towards its assembly elections. Political defectors, once seen as outcasts, are now viewed as strategic assets. The trend reflects a growing preference for winnability over ideological purity, with political parties increasingly focusing on gaining electoral advantage rather than sticking to traditional loyalties. A case in point is Sarfaraz Alam, a former MP and seasoned MLA from Jokihat, who recently joined the Jan Suraaj Party, headed by Prashant Kishor.

Alam’s political journey has taken him through multiple party affiliations—he’s been a part of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U))—demonstrating the increasingly fluid nature of party politics in the state. As election season intensifies, an increasing number of candidates are switching parties to secure electoral tickets. Nine individuals who had previously won elections under different party banners are now running for office under new affiliations. Seven ex-RJD and Congress legislators, who sided with the National Democratic Alliance after the collapse of the Grand Alliance-led government, have been granted party tickets for the upcoming elections. Notable defectors include Sangeeta Kumari, now contesting for the BJP from Mohania, and Bharat Bind, running for BJP from Bhabhua.

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JD(U) has also welcomed former RJD members into its fold, including candidates such as Kedarnath Singh and Vibha Devi, who are now vying for seats under the JD(U) banner. One of the most significant defections involves Anant Singh, the husband of RJD’s sitting MLA Neelam Devi, who is now fielded by JD(U) from Mokama. In a similar vein, Congress defectors have found their way into the NDA fold, with leaders like Siddharth Saurav contesting on BJP’s ticket and Murari Kumari Gautam representing the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP-R) in the upcoming election.

The RJD, on the other hand, has also extended invitations to defectors, welcoming former JD(U) members such as Sanjiv Kumar and Bogo Singh to its ranks, and even offering tickets to independents like Shailendra Pratap Singh. However, not every defector has been guaranteed a ticket, as some have been bypassed in favor of other candidates, signaling the cutthroat nature of ticket allocation. Ashutosh Sharma, a senior Congress leader, notes that in Bihar, the rise of turncoats can often serve as an indicator of the political wind, where the flow of defections is a sign of shifting momentum. “This explains why parties are quick to embrace former adversaries. The rise of turncoats challenges traditional party structures, sidelining loyal workers in favor of newcomers with a proven electoral base.”

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Smaller regional parties are also embracing defectors. In Gopalganj, former MLA Riyazul Haque Raju and Kartar Singh Yadav joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), while in Shahabad, several leaders moved to the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), a regional outfit led by Upendra Kushwaha. These shifts highlight the diminishing role of ideology in shaping Bihar’s political discourse.

Patna-based political analyst Priya Darshan sums up the transformation of Bihar’s political landscape, noting that the state’s politics is increasingly transactional. "In Bihar, loyalty is only valuable if it translates into votes," Darshan says. He adds that political parties now view defectors not through the lens of ideology but as strategic moves to enhance their chances of success in close contests. Parties are evolving into electoral machines, with less focus on traditional party lines and more on maximizing vote banks. For defectors, switching parties offers a chance to revive their political careers with better leverage and bargaining power.