Jayant Raj Kushwaha
Minister of Rural Work Department of Bihar
In office
25 February 2021 – August 2022
Preceded byShailesh Kumar
Minister for Minor Water Resources, Government of Bihar
In office
August 2022 – 28 January 2024
Personal details
Political partyJanata Dal (United)
Parent
Alma mater

Jayant Raj Kushwaha[1] is an Indian politician, Member of Legislative Assembly from the Amarpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency) of Bihar, and Minister of Rural Work in the Government of Bihar. In the 2020 election, he defeated Jitendra Singh of the Indian National Congress. While Raj secured 33.13% of votes polled, Singh, the runner up, finished with 31.23% of the votes.[2] Raj is a member of Janata Dal (United), the ruling party of Bihar.[3]

Raj is the son of former Member of Legislative Assembly Janardan Manjhi who earlier represented the same electoral constituency of Amarpur.[4] He completed his schooling from C N D High School Baunsi Banka, Bachelor of Business Administration from Marwari College, Bhagalpur, Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University in 2010.[5]

Nitish kumar trusted him with ministerial post despite him being a first time MLA, Nitish even came to his defense when the minister was being questioned on his work by BJP MLAs.[6]

Political career

Jayant Raj (second from right) participating in Krishi Samagam program along with Alok Kumar Mehta (third from right) and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

On 9 August 2022, Janata Dal (United) (JDU) led by Nitish Kumar broke it's ties with the Bhartiya Janata Party. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joined hands with erstwhile political rival Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led by son of Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav. Jayant Raj, who was serving as minister for rural works resigned from his post and in the new government formed after coalition of RJD, JDU, Indian National Congress and other smaller parties, Raj was again reappointed as minister, this time for Minor Water Resources in Eighth Nitish Kumar ministry.[7][8]

As minor water resource minister, he led establishment of regional registry office in Amarpur to deal with cases of land registration. It was established in order to reduce the burden on sole registry office located in Banka district headquarter. While inaugurating the registry office, Raj announced that the opening of regional office will not only sort out issues related to registration of land earlier, but will also create more jobs and enhance the revenue of government.[9] In this second term as minister, Raj has also remained a critic of Upendra Kushwaha (a rebel leader of Janata Dal United). He alleged Kushwaha of weakening Nitish Kumar; meanwhile, he also contended that the government of Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) was working for the benefit of poor and downtrodden section of society, while the activities of Kushwaha was destabilising it.[10]

References

  1. ^ "बांका: अमरपुर विधायक ने गरीबों के बीच किया कंबल का वितरण". etvbharat. Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  2. ^ "AMARPUR ASSEMBLY CONSTITUENCY". Business Standard. Archived from the original on 21 November 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Amarpur: Tie-ups shuffle vote bases, 'it's anyone's game'". Indian Express. 28 October 2020. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Bihar assembly elections: Leaders make way for political heirs". Times of India. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021. Another JD (U) sitting MLA Janardan Manjhi, a manjhi by caste, has fielded his son.jayant raj by caste manjhi,Janardan represents Amarpur in Banka district and this year his son Jayant Raj will be contesting from there.
  5. ^ "Bihar Cabinet Expansion: पहली बार विधायक बने जयंत राज पर नीतीश ने किया भरोसा, बना दिए मंत्री". Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  6. ^ कुमार, प्रकाश (1 December 2021). "अपने मंत्री को घिरता देख बचाव में उतरे नीतीश कुमार, BJP विधायक को लगाई फटकार". www.abplive.com (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Team Nitish 2.0: 31 Ministers Inducted Into Bihar Cabinet - Who Got What". India.com. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  8. ^ "BJP alleges social imbalance, criminalisation in New Bihar Cabinet". newindianexpress. Archived from the original on 29 August 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  9. ^ "बांका के अमरपुर में नए रजिस्ट्री ऑफिस का शुभारंभ:लघु जल संसाधन मंत्री जयंत राज बोले- राजस्व वृद्धि के साथ-साथ स्थानीय लोगों को मिलेगा रोजगार". Bhaskar.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  10. ^ "मंत्री जयंत राज ने उपेंद्र कुशवाहा पर साधा निशाना, बोले- मुख्यमंत्री नीतीश कुमार को कर रहे कमजोर". jagran. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
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