Patna: In the high-stakes Bihar Assembly Election 2025, only two of the six former IPS officers who entered the fray managed to secure victory.
While several high-profile police officers-turned-politicians contested from different constituencies, BJP’s Anand Mishra and JDU’s Sunil Kumar emerged triumphant, winning decisively from the Buxar and Bhore Assembly seats, respectively.
Anand Mishra Secures Impressive Win in Buxar
Former IPS Anand Mishra, a 2011-batch officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, won the Buxar seat by defeating Congress candidate Sanjay Kumar Tiwari (Munna Tiwari) with an emphatic margin of 28,533 votes.
- Anand Mishra (BJP): 84,901 votes
- Sanjay Kumar Tiwari (Congress): 56,548 votes
Mr Mishra’s victory marks a significant shift in Buxar, a constituency historically associated with Congress.
A Distinguished Career Before Politics
Mr Mishra’s journey to politics has been unique. Born on June 1, 1981, in Prasaunda Village, Shahpur Block, Bhojpur District of Bihar, Mr Mishra had a distinguished career in the Indian Police Service (IPS).
He served as SP in Nagaon and SSP in Lakhimpur, Assam, gaining recognition as an “encounter specialist” for his fearless operations against Maoists and drug cartels.
Mr Mishra’s decision to resign from his IPS role on January 29, 2024, and enter social work has been pivotal in shaping his political identity. He ran as an independent in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Buxar, securing nearly 50,000 votes. After a brief stint with Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj Party, Mr Mishra joined the BJP in August 2025, where he rebranded his welfare initiative to “Kamal Sewa Kendra”.
Sunil Kumar Won From Bhore (Gopalganj district)
JD(U) candidate and former IPS officer Sunil Kumar emerged victorious in the Bhore constituency, narrowly defeating CPI(M)(L)’s Dhananjay by 16,163 votes. Kumar secured 1,01,469 votes compared to Dhananjay’s 85,306, marking a closely contested election.
Mr Kumar, currently serving as Bihar’s Education Minister, has a distinguished career in the Indian Police Service. A 1987-batch IPS officer, he served as Senior Superintendent of Police in Patna district for over six years and retired in 2020 as the Director General-cum-Managing Director of the Bihar Police Building Construction Corporation, just 29 days before his official retirement. Shortly after retirement, he joined Janata Dal (United).
Mr Kumar holds a Master’s degree in History from St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi (1984), and hails from a family with a strong political and bureaucratic background. His father, Chandrika Ram, was a veteran Congress leader and minister in the KB Sahay government.
Shivdeep Lande: ‘Singham’ Falls Short in Jamalpur
Popular Bihar cadre IPS officer Shivdeep Wamanrao Lande (2006 batch), widely admired as “Singham,” contested the Jamalpur seat as an independent candidate.
Despite his massive fan following, Lande finished third, as:
- Nachiketa (JDU) won by defeating Narendra Kumar (Indian Inclusive Party) by over 30,000 votes.
- Lande secured far fewer votes and failed to pose a strong challenge.
Lande had resigned as IG Purnia last year to enter politics.
More Former IPS Officers Who Lost the Election
Rakesh Kumar Mishra – Darbhanga Seat
Former 1992-batch IPS officer Rakesh Kumar Mishra, contesting on a Jan Suraj ticket, finished third in Darbhanga.
- Winner: Sanjay Saraogi (BJP)
- Runner-up: Umesh Sahani (VIP)
BJP retained the seat with a margin of over 24,500 votes.
Braj Kishore Ravi – Rosera Seat
Ex-Tamil Nadu DGP and 1989-batch IPS officer Braj Kishore Ravi, contesting on a Congress ticket, suffered a heavy defeat in the Rosera constituency.
- Winner: Birendra Kumar (BJP)
- Winning Margin: Over 50,000 votes
Jai Prakash Singh – Chapra Seat
Former IPS officer Jai Prakash Singh, who contested from Chapra on a Jan Suraj ticket, also faced defeat. Singh could not secure a notable vote share, marking another setback for police officers who turned to politics this year.
A Tough Electoral Battle for Ex-IPS Officers
The Bihar Assembly Election 2025 saw an unusual trend with multiple former IPS officers testing their popularity among voters. However, their policing reputations and public goodwill were not enough to convert into electoral success – except for Anand Mishra, whose high-profile victory now positions him as a notable political figure in Bihar.
As the political dynamics of Bihar continue to evolve, it remains to be seen whether more retired officers will enter the electoral arena in upcoming years.
