Sanjay Kumar Jha
Sanjay Kumar Jha | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
| Assumed office 4 April 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Bashistha Narain Singh |
| Constituency | Bihar |
| Member of Bihar Legislative Council | |
| In office 2019–2024 | |
| In office 2006–2012 | |
| Cabinet Minister Government of Bihar | |
| In office 9 February 2021 – 28 January 2024 | |
| Chief Minister | Nitish Kumar |
| Ministry or Departments |
|
| Preceded by | Vijay Kumar Chaudhary |
| Succeeded by | Vijay Kumar Chaudhary |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 December 1967 Jhanjharpur, Madhubani |
| Political party | JD(U) (2012 - present) |
| Other political affiliations | BJP (till 2012)[1] |
| Spouse | Enakshi Jha |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Patna |
| Alma mater | Jawaharlal Nehru University (M.A) |
| Profession | Politician |
Sanjay Kumar Jha (commonly known as Sanjay Jha; born 1 December 1967) is an Indian politician from Janata Dal (United). He currently serves as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, representing Bihar, and holds the position of National Working President of the JD(U).[2] He is also the leader of the JD(U) parliamentary party in the Rajya Sabha and chairs the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture.[3] Previously, Jha served as the Minister for Water Resources as well as Information and Public Relations in the Government of Bihar as a Member of the Bihar Legislative Council.[4][5] In February 2024, he was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha, succeeding Bashistha Narain Singh.[6][7]
Personal life
Sanjay Jha was born on 1 December 1967 in Araria Sangram village, located in the Jhanjharpur block of Madhubani district, Bihar. He holds a postgraduate degree from the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). He is married to Enakshi Jha, and the couple has three children.
Political life
Early association with BJP (2004–2012)
Jha entered active politics in the mid-2000s through the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was known to be close to senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley and played a backchannel role during the BJP–JD(U) alliance in Bihar. In 2006, he was elected to the Bihar Legislative Council as a BJP member and remained in office until 2012.[8][9]
In 2009, he sought a BJP ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Darbhanga, but the party denied him a nomination. Following this, Jha moved closer to JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He formally joined the Janata Dal (United) in July 2012.[10]
Janta Dal (United) (2012–present)
After joining JD(U), Jha quickly became one of Nitish Kumar’s trusted aides. He contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Darbhanga on a JD(U) ticket but lost. He was re-elected to the Bihar Legislative Council in 2019 as a JD(U) representative.[11]
In June 2019, Jha was appointed as Cabinet Minister in Bihar, overseeing the portfolios of Water Resources and Information & Public Relations. He continued in these roles until January 2024, when JD(U) exited the Grand Alliance coalition. During his tenure, he oversaw several significant initiatives, including - The Ganga Water Supply Scheme, The construction of a rubber dam on the Phalgu River in Gaya and The development of Mithila Haat and other cultural promotion projects.[12][13]
References
- ^ "Ex-BJP spokesman joins ally JD(U)". The Times of India. 4 July 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ "Who is Sanjay Jha, JDU's newly elected working party president". The Times of India. 29 June 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ "मैं तैयार हूं..., संजय झा बने परिवहन, पर्यटन और संस्कृति समिति का अध्यक्ष". Zee News Hindi (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ Singh, Dharmendra Kumar. "नीतीश के सबसे करीबी मधुबनी के संजय झा बिहार कैबिनेट में तीसरी बार बने मंत्री". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ Singh, Abhay (29 May 2019). "Sanjay Jha, Radha Mohan Sharma to be MLCs". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ Srivastava, Amitabh (14 February 2021). "Sanjay Kumar Jha: A rising star in Nitish's cabinet". India Today. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ Tewary, Amarnath (20 February 2024). "All six candidates from Bihar elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ "Sanjay Jha: भाजपा से की थी सियासी पारी की शुरुआत, अब बनाए गए JDU के कार्यकारी अध्यक्ष; पढ़ें इनका राजनीतिक सफर - Sanjay Jha Political journey JDU National Working President bihar Politics". Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ KHAN, M. I. "Is Sanjay Jha Nitish's Political Heir?". Rediff. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ "Alliance turns sour? BJP leader Sanjay Jha joins Nitish Kumar's party JD(U)". India Today. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ "Rise and rise of Sanjay Jha: Nitish's man Friday and key NDA mover to JD(U)'s first working president". The Indian Express. 30 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ "Water resources department to focus on flood control: Bihar minister Sanjay Kumar Jha". The Times of India. 16 September 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ "Mithila Urban Haat: जल संसाधन मंत्री ने मिथिला अर्बन हाट का किया निरीक्षण, कही ये बड़ी बात". Zee News Hindi (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 June 2025.