Mokama: Anant Kumar Singh, the controversial Janata Dal (United) candidate, has secured a decisive victory in the Mokama Assembly constituency, emerging as the winner in the closely watched Bihar election.
Singh, who is currently in jail, won with a significant margin, securing 91,416 votes. His main rival, Veena Devi of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), trailed far behind with 63,023 votes, according to the latest data from the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Patna, Bihar: JD(U) supporters celebrated at the residence of party candidate Anant Kumar Singh as he leads in the Bihar Assembly election vote counting pic.twitter.com/cD9rLijbK3
— IANS (@ians_india) November 14, 2025
Singh’s victory in Mokama is particularly noteworthy given his legal troubles. He was arrested earlier this year in connection with the murder of a supporter of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party, but has managed to maintain his hold on the constituency. Despite his imprisonment, Singh’s political influence in the region remains strong, with his support base continuing to rally behind him.
The Mokama seat was part of the 121 constituencies that went to the polls in the first phase of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. The voter turnout in the region stood at 64.77 percent.
Who Is Anant Singh?
Anant Kumar Singh, often referred to as ‘Chhote Sarkar’, is a well-known and powerful political figure in Bihar, particularly in the Bhumihar caste stronghold. A four-time legislator, Singh has consistently been embroiled in serious criminal cases, ranging from murder to illegal arms possession. His political journey began with the support of his elder brother, Dilip Singh, who was also a regional strongman with a controversial background.
Singh first rose to prominence in 2005 when he contested and won the Mokama seat on a JD(U) ticket. He has since held the constituency for four consecutive terms. However, his relationship with the JD(U) soured after several criminal cases came to light, leading him to contest the 2015 Assembly election as an Independent. By 2020, he had aligned himself with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and won the Mokama seat again.
One of the defining moments of Singh’s career came in 2019 when he was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). He was later convicted in 2022 for the possession of an AK-47 rifle and sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, he was acquitted by the High Court in 2024 in the Arms Act case. Singh’s wife, Neelam Devi, who had previously won the seat on an RJD ticket in the 2022 by-election, also switched allegiance and supported the NDA government.
Singh, who is now back in the JD(U) fold, declared assets worth Rs 37.88 crore when submitting his nomination papers for the 2025 election, while his wife owns Rs 62.72 crore in movable and immovable assets.
