Bihar Elections 2025: In Bihar’s politics, the influence of bahubalis is nothing new. What’s waffly now is their way of staying relevant. Many of these men, accused or convicted in serious criminal cases, are now fielding their wives as political successors. As a result, a new wave of women—often homemakers until recently—have stepped into the electoral spotlight, delivering forward their husbands’ political legacies. From Anita to Aruna, Vibha, Purnima, and Neetu—these “Mrs. Bahubalis” have emerged as visible faces of power born out of compulsion and circumstance.
Anita Kumari: From Private Job to Political Battleground
Anita Kumari is preparing to races from the Warisaliganj turnout constituency. This is her second election. Earlier in 2024, she had fought versus JDU MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh, plume Lalan Singh, from the Munger Lok Sabha seat but lost. Now she is then in the fray from the Warisleiganj seat in the Nawada district. Anita has no political background. She used to do private jobs in Delhi. She is identified as the wife of Bahubali Ashok Mahato. Without coming out of jail without 17 years in December 2023, Ashok Mahato decided to meet RJD senior Lalu Prasad Yadav and enter politics. But he could not races elections due to the punishment in the Nawada jailbreak case. In such a situation, he married Anita and entered her into the electoral fray.
Aruna Devi: A Reluctant Politician Who Stayed the Course
BJP MLA Aruna Devi’s political journey began 25 years ago under similar circumstances. Her husband, Akhilesh Singh, was facing multiple criminal cases and couldn’t contest. What started as a reluctant step into politics has turned into a long career—she has been elected four times and remains an influential icon in Warisaliganj.
Vibha Devi: Taking Over Without a Fall from Grace
Nawada's current RJD MLA Vibha Devi, moreover entered politics due to the compulsion of her husband, Rajballabh Yadav. In 2018, Rajballabh was convicted in the POCSO Act specimen and expelled from the party. Then he made his wife a candidate. Vibha Devi was elected MLA from RJD in the 2020 elections.
Purnima Yadav: Family Strategy Turned Political Career
The entry of Purnima Yadav, wife of former Nawada MLA Kaushal Yadav, into politics was part of the family strategy. Kaushal Yadav unfurled to races elections from Govindpur, while in 2005 he fielded his wife from the Nawada seat. Since then Purnima has been continuously zippy in politics and both husband and wife have been elected several times.
Neetu Kumari: Delivering a Political Legacy Forward
The political journey of Hisua's Congress MLA Neetu Kumari is moreover a result of circumstances. Her father-in-law Aditya Singh and husband, Suman Singh were convicted in the murder case. Without this, Neetu entered the field to handle the political legacy of the family. She lost in 2010 and 2015, but won from Congress in 2020.
A Growing Trend of 'Mrs Bahubalis'
From Neetu to VVibha toAruna to Anita—Bihar’s political scene is seeing a steady rise of “Mrs. Bahubalis.” What began as a stopgap solution for powerful but legally barred husbands has now turned into a parallel gravity of women who, willingly or not, are reshaping the narrative of power and politics in the state.
