Daijiworld Media Network – Patna
Patna, Oct 28: With less than ten days left for the Bihar Assembly elections, the opposition INDIA bloc is locked in an unusual tussle over the symbolic title of ‘Jan Nayak’ — a name long associated with socialist icon and former Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur.
The Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and Samajwadi Party (SP) are now vying for ownership of the title, creating friction within the alliance. The row erupted after the Congress declared Rahul Gandhi as ‘Jan Nayak’. Soon after, the RJD pitched Tejashwi Yadav for the same honour, while the SP joined in, asserting that Akhilesh Yadav deserved the title.
“All INDIA parties will make the decision together. No single party can decide on its own. If they can name their leader, then we say Akhilesh Yadav is the ‘Jan Nayak’,” said SP’s Lucknow (Central) MLA Ravidas Mehrotra.
The move invited sharp reactions from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi dismissed the claims outright, saying, “The title is given by the people; it cannot be self-assumed.” He also hit out at the RJD, saying, “Calling Tejashwi Yadav ‘Jan Nayak’ insults the legacy of Karpoori Thakur. What has he done for the state?”
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was equally firm, stating, “There is only one ‘Jan Nayak’ in Bihar — Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur ji. Any attempt to imitate him will be rejected by the people.”
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a political protégé of Thakur, took a dig at the opposition, posting on X, “These days some are busy declaring themselves ‘Jan Nayak’. It is shameful to misuse such a title.”
The Congress, meanwhile, defended its move, saying Rahul Gandhi’s portrayal as ‘Jan Nayak’ was not meant to compete with Thakur’s legacy but to inspire voters ahead of polling.
The dispute underscores the enduring influence of Karpoori Thakur’s legacy on Bihar’s politics. Born in 1924, Thakur was the first non-Congress socialist to become Chief Minister of Bihar and is remembered for implementing the state’s alcohol prohibition policy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited Thakur’s native village while launching the BJP’s campaign in Samastipur — a move the Congress dismissed as political opportunism, recalling that Thakur was once targeted by the Jan Sangh in the 1970s.
The BJP hit back, accusing the Congress of “title chori”, twisting the opposition’s frequent “vote chori” taunt.
The political war over the ‘Jan Nayak’ mantle reflects both the reverence and rivalry surrounding Bihar’s most beloved socialist leader — and how his name continues to shape the state’s electoral narrative even decades after his passing.