Bihar Politics: Ram Bachan Rai Takes Charge as Legislative Council Chairman Amid Fresh Political Developments

Bihar Politics has witnessed a significant institutional change with senior Janata Dal (United) leader and academician Ram Bachan Rai taking charge as the new Chairman of the Bihar Legislative Council. Rai succeeded BJP leader Awadhesh Narain Singh, who resigned from the post after a long tenure as a member of the Council.

The change comes against the backdrop of the existing power-sharing arrangement between the BJP and JD(U) in Bihar. Under the arrangement, the BJP holds the post of Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, while the chairmanship of the Legislative Council is held by the JD(U). Senior BJP leader Prem Kumar is currently the Assembly Speaker.

Rai's appointment comes at a time when Bihar politics is also witnessing debate over electoral rolls, the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR), law and order and upcoming Legislative Council elections.

Ram Bachan Rai Becomes Bihar Legislative Council Chairman

Ram Bachan Rai formally took charge as Chairman of the Bihar Legislative Council following the resignation of Awadhesh Narain Singh.

Rai had been serving as the Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council since July 2024. His elevation to the top position in the Council marks a continuation of the BJP-JD(U) understanding over legislative posts in the state.

Awadhesh Narain Singh, a senior BJP leader, stepped down from the chairmanship after a long association with the Bihar Legislative Council. The change has taken place ahead of further political activity surrounding Legislative Council elections.

The transition also highlights the role of alliance arrangements in the functioning of Bihar's legislature, with the two major ruling alliance partners holding the Assembly Speaker and Legislative Council Chairman positions respectively.

Rai's Academic and Political Background

Ram Bachan Rai has a long association with Bihar's academic and political circles.

He has been associated with Patna University and served as the head of its Hindi Department. His political journey began during the JP Movement of 1974. He was initially associated with the RJD before joining the JD(U) in 2011.

Rai was nominated to the Bihar Legislative Council in March 2021 under the Governor's quota. He subsequently became Deputy Chairperson in July 2024 before taking charge as Chairman.

His background in academics and literature has also been an important part of his public profile.

BJP-JD(U) Power-Sharing Arrangement

The change in the Legislative Council leadership is significant in the context of the BJP-JD(U) alliance in Bihar.

The current arrangement places the Assembly Speaker's post with the BJP and the Legislative Council Chairman's post with the JD(U). Prem Kumar is serving as Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, while Rai now presides over the Legislative Council.

The distribution of these legislative positions reflects the political understanding between the two alliance partners and provides the immediate institutional context for Rai's appointment.

Bihar Politics and the Electoral Roll Debate

Alongside the Legislative Council leadership change, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls remains a major political issue in Bihar.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has defended the Election Commission's revision process and said the final electoral roll contained approximately 7.42 crore voters. According to Choudhary, the revision identified voters who had migrated, had died or had multiple registrations. He said the exercise included approximately 36 lakh migrated voters, 22 lakh deceased voters and 7 lakh voters with multiple registrations.

Opposition parties have questioned aspects of the voter-list revision and raised concerns about electoral-roll changes. RJD leader and Bihar Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav has continued to raise questions over the Election Commission's functioning and electoral procedures.

The SIR debate has therefore become one of the prominent political issues in Bihar, with the government defending the process and opposition parties demanding greater scrutiny and transparency.

Law and Order Remains a Political Issue

Law and order has also remained part of the political debate in Bihar in recent weeks.

Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav has criticised the state government over several incidents and questioned the administration's handling of law-and-order matters. Recent incidents in districts including Jamui, Samastipur and Banka have been used by the opposition to raise questions about public safety and policing.

The issue has also generated discussion within the wider ruling alliance, with recent reporting highlighting concerns and criticism surrounding the government's handling of law and order.

These political exchanges remain part of the broader debate over governance in Bihar.

Legislative Council Politics Gains Attention

The change in the Council chairmanship has also brought greater attention to the upcoming political activity surrounding the Bihar Legislative Council.

Internal competition within political parties has become visible in some Council constituencies. For example, JD(U) MLA Anant Singh has opposed party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar in the Patna Graduates constituency contest and indicated support for an independent candidate, according to recent reporting.

Such developments highlight the importance of local political equations in Legislative Council contests, where party organisation, constituency-level networks and individual political influence can play significant roles.

What the Latest Developments Mean for Bihar Politics

The appointment of Ram Bachan Rai is more than a change in the presiding officer of the Bihar Legislative Council. It comes at a time when several political issues are developing simultaneously.

The BJP-JD(U) alliance continues to shape the functioning of the state legislature, while the SIR controversy has generated a wider debate involving the government, opposition parties and the Election Commission.

At the same time, law-and-order issues and upcoming Legislative Council contests are contributing to the political activity across the state.

For now, Rai's appointment establishes a new leadership arrangement in the Bihar Legislative Council, with the JD(U) taking the chairmanship while the BJP continues to hold the Assembly Speaker's post.

Key Points in Bihar Politics

• Ram Bachan Rai has taken charge as Chairman of the Bihar Legislative Council.

• Rai succeeded BJP leader Awadhesh Narain Singh.

• Rai previously served as Deputy Chairperson of the Council from July 2024.

• Prem Kumar continues to serve as Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly.

• The BJP and JD(U) continue to share key legislative positions under their alliance arrangement.

• The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls remains a major political issue.

• Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has defended the SIR process.

• Tejashwi Yadav and the RJD continue to raise questions about electoral procedures and governance.

• Law-and-order issues remain part of the political debate.

• Legislative Council elections and constituency-level political contests are adding to political activity in Bihar.

Latest Update: September 30, 2026