In the Bihar Assembly elections 2025, there has been a sudden stir in Sitamarhi's politics. Among the disgruntled leaders over party ticket distribution, Ritu Jaiswal is the most prominent name. Ritu has openly launched a front against the RJD.
Patna: A major uproar has erupted within the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) over ticket distribution for the Bihar Assembly elections. Several party leaders are upset about not receiving tickets. Some leaders have rebelled and filed their nominations as independents. Among them, the most prominent woman leader, Ritu Jaiswal, has openly launched a front against the RJD.
Ritu Jaiswal, an independent candidate from Sitamarhi's Parihar seat, burst into tears at a rally held after her nomination. Ritu Jaiswal made an emotional appeal to her workers and also sought support from Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav.
Emotional Display During Nomination
Ritu Jaiswal filed her nomination on the last day. During this, she appeared very emotional and burst into tears at the rally. Appealing to her workers, she sought support from Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav and predicted that the official RJD candidate from Parihar would find it difficult to win. Ritu stated, "The RJD candidate is not going to win from Parihar." Her move has sparked a new debate and stir in local politics.
Ritu Jaiswal was the RJD candidate from the Parihar seat in 2020. In that election, she faced a very narrow defeat. This time, when the party denied her a ticket, Ritu decided to contest as an independent. The party had offered her the option to contest from Belsand, but Ritu insisted on contesting from Parihar. She believes that this seat represents her service to the public and her duty towards the region.
Contribution as "Mukhiya Didi"
Ritu Jaiswal was born on March 1, 1977, in Hajipur (Vaishali). She began her political journey as the head (Mukhiya) of Singhwahini Panchayat. Given her work in rural development, she came to be known as 'Mukhiya Didi' (Village Head Sister). Her husband, Arun Kumar, is a former civil servant (IAS). He also resigned from government service to work in the fields of education and rural development. Currently, he is helping students with free coaching and preparation for competitive examinations.
As Mukhiya, Ritu successfully implemented several schemes in areas such as education, roads, drainage, sanitation, and women's empowerment. Her panchayat was developed into a model panchayat for rural development. These achievements earned her b public support and popularity in the region.
Electoral History
- 2020: RJD candidate from Parihar seat, lost by only 1549 votes.
- 2024 Lok Sabha elections: RJD candidate from Shivhar seat, lost to JDU candidate Lovely Anand.
- After consistently b performances in these elections, she built an effective popular base in her area.
Ritu Jaiswal is the state president of the RJD Women's Wing. On October 19, the party gave the ticket for the Parihar seat to Smita Purve, which Ritu expressed her displeasure about. She wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "Contesting elections from any other constituency besides Parihar is unacceptable to my soul. This decision is not easy, but it is the voice of my heart and the sentiment of the people of Parihar."
