Curious case of Rituraj Sinha: Bihar BJP leader in Nitin Nabin’s shadow

Rituraj Sinha, a leader from Bihar, continues to hold his position within the BJP's central leadership under the new chief Nitin Nabin. Among the three Bihar representatives in Nabin's team are Siddharth Shambhu, who has been appointed as a national secretary, and Rajya Sabha MP Shivesh Ram, who will head the Scheduled Caste Cell.

Rituraj has been designated as the joint coordinator of all party cells, a role that some describe as having little significant organizational importance. As the 45-year-old son of former Rajya Sabha MP Ravindra Kishore Sinha, Rituraj is viewed as a potential placeholder for a larger role in the organization. After missing out on a ticket for the recent Bankipur Assembly bypoll, he was replaced by Neeraj Kumar Sinha, who ultimately lost the election to Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founder Prashant Kishor.

Despite being a director in a private security company, Rituraj is recognized as part of the BJP's emerging second generation of Kayastha leadership in Bihar, alongside Nabin, Ajay Alok, and Sanjay Mayukh. Party insiders suggest that Nabin's rise to the national presidency has diminished the opportunities for Rituraj and Sanjay Mayukh in the organization.

Some BJP leaders have alleged that Rituraj has been affected by intra-caste rivalry. The discussion surrounding Rituraj's political prospects also arises amidst the BJP's performance in the Bankipur bypoll, where they lost after 30 years. Some believe that the party's decision to field a less prominent candidate contributed to their setback.