Mokama, once an industrial centre, is now a hub of crime and politics. Before the 2025 elections, the enmity between Bahubali Anant Singh and Suraj Bhan Singh has intensified. The parties are fighting for the 3% Bhumihar vote, leading to a ‘Bhumihar versus Bhumihar’ situation.
Mokama, situated on the banks of river Ganga, was once an important industrial area and a major pulse production centre. But today this town of Patna district has become a sad example of the complex coordination of crime and politics. In this microcosm of Mokama, past and present weave a vivid saga of violence, power and electoral ambition. As the 2025 assembly elections approach, the stakes are getting higher. The recent arrest of JD(U)’s 64-year-old Bhumihar candidate Anant Singh on charges of murder of 75-year-old gangster-turned-politician Dular Chand Yadav has underlined the lasting influence of musclemen in the restive region. The incident has reignited a fierce electoral contest against Anant Singh’s old rival, another notorious Bhumihar strongman Suraj Bhan Singh.
Legacy of violence: a journey from bullets to the ballot box
Located just 70 km from Patna, Mokama has a history full of bloodshed, in which the lives of its political stalwarts are intertwined. Two notorious faces of the Bhumihar caste—Anant Singh and Suraj Bhan Singh—have been embroiled in a cycle of violence since the 1980s. His past is full of bullets and bloodshed, as he rose to power through muscle and bluster in a political landscape where muscle often trumped strategy.
The recent killing of Dular Chand Yadav (a Jan Suraj supporter and old aide of Lalu Prasad) during clashes between political factions adds a horrific chapter to the contemporary story of the region. The incident involving Anant Singh’s supporters not only highlights the volatility of political life in the region, but also reminds us of the brutal tactics that define this electoral arena. As police investigate Yadav’s death, the city holds its breath between the shadows of its violent past and the uncertain promise of electoral change.
battle of ballots
The current political scenario reflects a strange transformation – where former enemies now have to deal with the complexities of electoral alliances and rivalries. Even though it has been almost two decades since the last direct clash between Anant Singh and Suraj Bhan Singh, the political environment has not dulled their enmity. This election marks the return of ballot battles, a change from their earlier confrontations, where they were often decided by bullets.
The mystery behind cultivating Bhumihar
Why are the major political parties (especially the NDA and the Grand Alliance) putting so much energy into wooing a community whose vote percentage is less than three percent of the total votes in the state? The answer lies in the historical and cultural importance of the Bhumihars. They have traditionally been seen as an upper caste and have wielded considerable power in the political landscape of Bihar.
The Bhumihars have traditionally been a land-holding caste and have controlled small estates and zamindaris. This community gave birth to creative intellectuals like national poet Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’ and Ramvriksh Benipuri. The state’s first Chief Minister (1946 to 1961), Shri Krishna Sinha, was also a prominent Bhumihar leader, whose legacy still has the potential to influence electoral fortunes.
Taj to Nitish, Raj to Bhumihar!
Even after the 1990s, when OBC leaders like Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar gained dominance in Bihar politics, Bhumihars maintained their dominance over professional sectors like bureaucracy, education, media and law-medicine. Top JD(U) leader and Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh (aka Lalan Singh), who is a close friend of Nitish Kumar, is a top Bhumihar leader. Today, Union Minister Giriraj Singh and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha are prominent Bhumihar faces in the BJP.
When Nitish Kumar became the Chief Minister in 2005, the popular saying in Patna was “Taj to Nitish, Raj to Bhumihar.” Bhumihars are spread throughout Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, but are dominant in three regions of central Bihar, Mokama, Munger region and Begusarai, Lakhisarai, and Baraiya region.
Recap of Ranveer Sena era of ‘Jungle Raj’
As Bhumihars’ power declined in electoral politics after the 1990s, many Bhumihars gravitated towards the Ranvir Sena, a private militia founded in 1994. The Ranvir Sena carried out armed attacks against the Maoist organization ‘Lal Sena’ in the late 1990s. Massacres were carried out at many places like Laxmanpur Bathe, which defined a dark era of ‘Jungle Raj’ in Bihar. Today, the violence of Mokama is a powerful iteration of that period of the Ranveer Sena era.
Bhumihar vs Bhumihar
Inter-community rivalry in these elections has given rise to the phenomenon of “Bhumihar versus Bhumihar” confrontation. Candidates from the same community are fighting against each other in assembly seats like Bikram and Mokama, giving a microcosm of the larger electoral war. Apart from Mokama and Bikram, Bhumihar vs Bhumihar fight is also being witnessed in Kesua, Barbigha, Begusarai, Matihani, and Lakhisarai.
Bhumihar politics at a crucial juncture
As the countdown to the elections begins, the Bhumihar community finds itself at a crossroads. On the one hand, the BJP’s long-standing relationship with the community provides a sense of security; On the other hand, the aggressive approach of the Grand Alliance shows that there are winds of change.
The upcoming elections will not just be a test of loyalty; He will act as a barometer for the changing equations of caste politics in Bihar. With Bhumihar candidates pitted against each other, voters will consider their aspirations, grievances and the broader implications of their decisions. Mokama’s equation captures the essence of Bihar—a political arena where every vote counts, no matter how small its numerical strength.