Santosh Kumar Kushwaha

Santosh Kumar ^[4][5] is an Indian politician and Member of Parliament representing the Purnia constituency in Bihar. He was first elected in the 2014 Indian general election, having run as the Janata Dal (United) candidate in the constituency.^[6][7] In 2010 he was also elected as Member of Legislative assembly of the Baisi (Vidhan Sabha constituency) of Purnea district as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate. One month before 2014 lok sabha election he joined JD(U) as he was nominated as the party candidate for Lok Sabha election for Purnea constituency.^[8][9][10]

Santosh Kumar^[1]
Member of the Indian Parliament for Purnia^[2]
Preceded by	Uday Singh
In office 16 May 2014 – 2019
In office 2019–2024
National General Secretary of Janata Dal (United).^[3]
Incumbent
Assumed office March 2023
Personal details
Born	(1976-02-05) 5 February 1976 (age 48) Kocheili, Purnia district, Bihar
Political party	Janata Dal (United)
Spouse	Madhulata Devi
Children	2
Residence(s)	Ram Bagh, Purnia, Bihar

Life and political career

Born to Nevilal Vishwash and Ramsakhi Devi in 1976, Santosh's education was completed in Purnea from Surya Narayan Singh college, Rambagh. He has been an agriculturist and social worker before starting his career as a full-time politician. He has been an MLA of Baisi, Purnea Bihar before being elected as Member of Parliament in 2014. Further, he has been associated with various important committees of the Parliament and important posts within Janata Dal (United). He has served as Member of Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, Committee on Private Members` Bills and Resolutions, Member of Consultative Committee, Ministry of Coal, Member of Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas, Member, Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes, Member, Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas and Member of Rules Committee.^[11]

In 2019, he was re-elected as Member of Parliament from Purnea Lok Sabha constituency for a second term. He is a follower of Ram Manohar Lohia's ideology. He defeated Uday Singh Pappu in 2019 Lok Sabha elections with a large margin of over 2.5 Lakh votes.^[12][13] In 2019, Santosh was one of the nominee of Janata Dal (United) for ministerial post in new Narendra Modi ministry. However, JD(U) later decided not to claim ministerial birth due to fewer seats allotted to its members as ministers.^[14]

Controversies

2016 Awadhesh Mandal escape incident

Kushwaha was allegedly involved in helping Awadhesh Mandal, the husband of Janata Dal (United) Member of Legislative Assembly, Beema Bharti to escape from police custody in Purnia. Mandal, a gangster, who was wanted in over hundred criminal cases, was also accused of being involved in a murder case, in connection with which, he subsequently threatened the widow of the deceased. After he was caught by the Police and taken to a police station in Purnia, Beema Bharti accompanied by Santosh Kushwaha and over hundred of supporters reached the police station. It was alleged that while Kushwaha was engaged in conversation with the police officials, Bharti helped her husband to escape in her SUV.^[15][16]

See also

• List of members of the 16th Lok Sabha
• List of members of the 17th Lok Sabha

References

1. "Indian Parliament Santosh Kumar". india.gov.in. from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
2. . livehindustan.com. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
3. "K C Tyagi, JD(U)'s well-known face, does not find place in new national team of Nitish Kumar's party". Times of India. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
4. "Members : Lok Sabha". 164.100.47.194. from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
5. "Purnia Election Results 2019: JD (U) Santosh Kumar Kushwaha has won with a margin of 263461 votes". timesnownews. from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
6. . news18. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020. trans:Santosh Kushwaha contested the assembly elections for the first time in 2005 on a BJP ticket but lost. In 2010, he again contested on BJP ticket and became an MLA from Biasi. In 2014, Santosh Kushwaha became MP on JDU ticket for the first time. In Koshi's politics, Santosh Kushwaha has also been identified as a big leader.
7. "Santosh Kumar". from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
8. "बिहार NDA उम्मीदवारों की लिस्ट: 39 उम्मीदवारों के नाम का ऐलान, बेगूसराय से चुनाव लडे़ंगे गिरिराज सिंह". hindi.timesnownews.com (in Hindi). from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
9. . Archived from the original on 13 November 2020.
10. . Lok Sabha. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
11. . Parliament of India. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
12. . Dainik Bhaskar. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
13. . Dainik Jagran. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
14. Ahmad, Soroor. . National herald. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
15. "Bihar MLA helps her husband flee from police". Times of India. from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
16. "Mob forcibly frees JDU MLA's husband from Police lock-up in Bihar". India Tv. from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.