Bihar Election 2025: Although VIP chief Mukesh Sahani is not himself contesting the upcoming Bihar Elections 2025, the INDIA bloc has named the ‘Son of Mallah’ (which Sahani once called himself), as the Deputy CM face in the poll-bound state. This is not a random pick as Sahani brings with him a key demographic of voters who are the most sought-after by both the alliances in the poll-bound state.
A movie set designer turned politician – Who is Mukesh Sahani?
According to a report by the Indian Express, politics became a part of Sahani’s life much later. A school dropout who studied only up to Class 8, he originally dreamt of a career in Bollywood. At 19, he left his hometown of Supaul Bazar in Darbhanga and moved to Mumbai to try his luck. He started as a salesman and later entered the TV and film industry as a set designer. His company, Mukesh Cine World Private Limited, worked on major films like Devdas (2002) starring Shah Rukh Khan and Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) starring Salman Khan.
These movie connections made him well-known back home. In 2008, when he organised Chhath celebrations on a large scale, people encouraged him to do more for his community, the IE report said. This led him to start the Sahani Samaj Kalyan Sanstha in 2010, where he held meetings and drew large crowds while helping lay the foundation for his political ambitions.
What does Mukesh Sahani bring to the table?
Sahani leads the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) and is one of the most sought after leaders in Bihar for his influence among the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), particularly the Nishad community. The EBCs make up roughly over 30% of Bihar’s voters. Within this group, the Nishad community accounts for 9.6% of the state’s total population, according to the 2023 Bihar caste survey, and Sahani’s Mallah sub-group accounts for 2.6%. They are often referred to as the “floating voters” that all parties try to attract.
Why does the Nishad community rally behind Sahani?
The term ‘Nishad’ covers many river-based castes in north India. After the Mandal Commission report, these groups began identifying themselves together as “Nishad,” forming a single social and political community. In Bihar, the Nishad community is politically active but still underrepresented, and they have rallied strongly behind Sahani since the time he stepped into politics.
Earlier too, their involvement in electoral politics had mostly been limited to a few individuals who were being promoted by various political parties. For example, in the 1990s and 2000s, Jai Narain Nishad moved between JD(U) and BJP, while in the 1970s and 80s, Ramkaran Sahni represented the community. After the Mandal Commission led to the rise of caste-based politics in Bihar, the Nishad community missed a chance to become a united political force. Their support was divided among different parties, and without a strong political group originating from within the community, they were unable to fully capitalise on the growing political influence of caste-based groups in the state.
Since 2014, Mukesh Sahani and his Vikassheel Insaan Party have aimed to bring the Nishad community together as a strong political group. As stated above, the community’s 22 sub-castes make up nearly 10% of the state’s population, giving them greater political influence.
In a tight election, votes from the Nishad community could play a key role in districts like Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, Madhubani, Khagaria, Vaishali, and other parts of North Bihar.
These elections could be Sahani’s chance to become a key leader, as Bihar hasn’t had a pan-state EBC leader since socialist icon Karpoori Thakur. So far, the state has seen only two notable leaders from the Sahani or Nishad communities: Bhagwan Lal Sahni and Captain Jai Narayan Prasad Nishad.
VIP Chief Mukesh Sahani’s tryst with NDA
The BJP recognised Sahani’s influence as early as 2015 and brought him into their campaign for the Assembly elections. However, the partnership ended when the NDA government did not agree to his demand to include the Sahanis in the Scheduled Castes. In 2018, Sahani decided to launch his own party, the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP).
In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, the VIP joined the NDA, winning four out of 11 seats it contested, though Sahani himself lost in Simri Bakhtiarpur. But his alliance with the NDA led to his appointment as Minister for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet on November 16, 2020. He was also elected to the Bihar Legislative Council on January 21, 2021, with the term ending on July 21, 2022.
Tensions, however, emerged soon after. In 2022, Sahani fielded candidates against the BJP in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, where none of his 55 candidates won, and also in the Bihar Legislative Council polls. These moves caused friction with NDA allies, resulting in his removal from the cabinet on March 27, 2022.
After his dismissal, Sahani joined the Mahagathbandhan and navigated seat-sharing talks, initially asking for 30 seats but eventually settling for less in the upcoming elections. For the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, he has chosen not to contest personally, but has been campaigning across the state.
Mukesh Sahani’s Political Journey: From NDA to INDIA Bloc
What Sahani wants in the upcoming Bihar Elections?
In an interview with the Indian Express, Sahani had earlier said that he plans to push for reserved seats for EBCs, similar to the Scheduled Caste status enjoyed by Mallahs in some states, and remove the 50% reservation limit. On governance, he promised to create more jobs so that people in Bihar do not have to leave the state for work. He had also proposed to provide a monthly social security pension of Rs 1,500 and 200 MW of free electricity, while taking steps to reduce corruption at the local level, which affects the poorest the most.
The Nishad community in Bihar has long been fighting for recognition. Their main demand is to be included in the state’s list of Scheduled Castes. Since 2014, various caste-based groups have been pressing the Nitish Kumar government on this issue. In response, the Bihar government asked the A.N. Sinha Institute to study the community’s social and economic conditions. The 2023 caste survey confirmed that the community is economically and socially disadvantaged, strengthening their call for SC reservations.
But Sahani’s VIP has a rival in upcoming Bihar Elections, and it is not to be taken for granted
Sahani’s VIP is no the only party that relies on the voter base of the Nishad community. The Vishwakarma Vikas Insaan Party (VVIP) has emerged as a rival to Sahani’s VIP. VVIP was started in early 2025 by Pradeep Nishad, who used to be a close associate of Sahani in VIP but left due to internal party disagreements. The party was formed to challenge VIP and attract the same Nishad voters.
Ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, VVIP is focusing on constituencies in North Bihar, including Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, and Khagaria, areas where VIP has traditionally been strong. Political analysts have earlier suggested that VVIP could split the Nishad vote, which might help the ruling NDA by weakening the Opposition Mahagathbandhan, where VIP is allied with RJD and Congress. While VIP has been given around 15 seats within the alliance, VVIP is either contesting on its own or looking to team up with smaller parties.
