New Delhi: Pushpam Priya Choudhary, daughter of JD(U) leader Vinod Chaudhary and an alumnus of the London School of Economics who launched her Plurals Party on International Women’s Day, is trailing in Bankipore constituency.
The new entrant is up against three-time MLA from the BJP, Nitin Navin, and Congress’ Luv Sinha, son of actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha. At 11 am, she was behind both the BJP and Congress candidates having polled only 121 votes, according to the Election Commission website. Nitin Navin is leading with 2,385 votes, while Luv Sinha has polled 1,097 votes so far.
Choudhary announced her entry into politics through full-page newspaper advertisements in multiple Hindi and English news outlets on 8 March, which said, “Bihar deserves better, and better is possible”.
Choudhary’s party claimed to have mapped out a 10-year plan for Bihar from 2020-2030, based on sustainable development goals focussing on gender equality, clean water and sanitation, no poverty, zero hunger, affordable and clean energy, reduced inequalities etc.
However, her entry into politics caused snigger in the Bihar political circles, with many expressing amusement at her claims.
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Who is Pushpam Priya?
Pushpam Priya Choudhary comes from a political family from Darbhanga that has had a long association with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Her grandfather Umashankar Choudhary was with Kumar when the latter co-founded the Samata Party in 1994. Umashankar had even contested on the party’s ticket.
While Vinod was an MLC from Kumar’s JD(U), Pushpam’s uncle Ajay too is a local leader of the party. Kumar has even visited their house in Darbhanga on several occasions.
Pushpam has received her education abroad. According to her party’s website, she is a postgraduate in development studies from the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK, and in public administration from the London School of Economics.
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