Son-in-law politics heats up Bihar

Bihar witnessed a political slugfest centred around sons-in-law after a series of appointments to state commissions and religious bodies triggered accusations of nepotism and dynasty politics.

It began with the appointment of Mrinal Paswan, son-in-law of the late Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan and brother-in-law of Union minister Chirag Paswan, as the president of the Bihar SC Commission. Devendra Manjhi, son-in-law of Union minister and HAM leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, was named vice-president in the same body.

Then came another controversial move: on June 12, the state government appointed Sayan Kunal, son-in-law of JDU leader and state minister Ashok Choudhary, to the State Religious Trust Board. Kunal's wife Shambhavi Choudhary is an LJP (Ram Vilas) MP from Samastipur.


The opposition seized the moment. RJD leader and former Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav accused the NDA of promoting dynasty politics and labelled the ruling coalition the "National Damad Aayog."

In response, Minister Choudhary distanced himself from Kunal's appointment, saying it was made under the RSS quota and not influenced by either him or the JDU. He retaliated by recalling similar family-based appointments during RJD's tenure.

With both sides trading barbs and defending their respective appointees, "damad politics" may well become a recurring flashpoint in Bihar's pre-election narrative.