VIP's Mukesh Sahani faces uncertainty as Mahagathbandhan trails in Bihar polls
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Bihar's high-stakes assembly elections have taken a dramatic turn, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leading by a significant margin. As of 12:30 pm, the NDA is ahead by 133 votes, leaving the Mahagathbandhan, a coalition led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), far behind. This development has put VIP founder Mukesh Sahani in a precarious position, despite not contesting the elections himself. Sahani was projected as the deputy chief minister face of the Mahagathbandhan. The NDA's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in 84 seats, followed by Janata Dal (United) with 71 seats. In contrast, the RJD is leading in 37 seats, Congress in 7, and the CPI(ML)-L in 6 seats, as of 12:48 pm. Mukesh Sahani's constituency, Gaura Bauram, is being contested by his brother Santosh Sahni. However, the BJP's Sujit Kumar is leading by a massive margin of 4,418 votes in the fifth round of counting. This has left RJD's Afzal Ali Khan and VIP's Santosh Sahni in the rear. Mukesh Sahani has emerged as a key player in the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, with his party contesting 18 of the 243 seats. Born into a poor Nishad family in Darbhanga district, Sahani grew up facing financial hardships. He left home at 18 to pursue better opportunities in Mumbai, where he eventually built a successful career as a set designer in Bollywood, working on films like 'Devdas'. Sahani's entry into politics began in 2013, when he supported the BJP and Narendra Modi. He founded the VIP in 2018 and projected himself as the 'Son of Mallah' (boatman), leveraging his connection to the Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs), which constitute 29% of Bihar's population. The Mallahs or Nishads have a significant presence in several districts, including Darbhanga, Madhubani, Khagaria, and Muzaffarpur.
