Samrat Chaudhary

Born on 16 November 1968, in Lakhanpur village of Munger district, Bihar, Samrat Chaudhary, also known by his alias Rakesh Kumar, hails from a formidable political family. His father, Shakuni Choudhary, was a seven-time MLA and Member of Parliament, while his mother, Parvati Devi, also served as an MLA from the Tarapur constituency. This familial background laid the foundation for his entry into active politics in 1990.

Chaudhary began his ministerial journey early, sworn in as the Minister of Agriculture in the Bihar government in May 1999 under the Rabri Devi administration. However, his initial tenure was marked by a controversy regarding his age, leading to his removal in November 1999 on grounds of being underage to hold a ministerial position. He was elected as an MLA from the Parbatta constituency in 2000 and again in 2010. In 2010, he also served as the Chief Whip of the opposition party in the Bihar Legislative Assembly.

His political affiliations saw shifts over the years; after starting with the RJD, he was involved in a faction that split from the RJD in 2014, subsequently joining the JD(U) government led by Jitan Ram Manjhi, where he served as Minister of Urban Development and Housing. By 2017-2018, he transitioned to the Bharatiya Janata Party, where his potential as a fiery speaker and OBC leader was recognized, and he was appointed the State Vice President. He was elected as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) for his second term in 2020.

Samrat Chaudhary's ascent within the BJP continued, leading to his appointment as the Panchayati Raj Minister in the Nitish Kumar government in 2021. In August 2022, he became the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council. A significant milestone was reached in March 2023 when he was appointed the President of the BJP Bihar State unit, a position he held until July 2024. In January 2024, he was sworn in as one of the two Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar, alongside Vijay Kumar Sinha, marking a pivotal role in the state's cabinet.

Beyond his formal roles, Chaudhary is known for his outspoken nature and his strong presence as an OBC face for the BJP, representing the Koeri (Kushwaha) caste. He gained attention for wearing a saffron turban as a vow until the BJP returned to power in Bihar. He is married to Mamta Kumari and has one son and one daughter.

In​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Nov 2025, Samrat Choudhary took the Tarapur seat with a tally of 122,480 votes. He bested his RJD opponent Arun Kumar by 45,843 votes and thus solidified his political stature as the Deputy Chief Minister and one of the most influential BJP leaders in ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌Bihar.

On 20 November 2025, Samrat Choudhary, veteran BJP leader and MLA from Tarapur, was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister in Nitish Kumar’s tenth-term cabinet.