Forty-eight hours later, Dularchand was shot dead during a clash between two groups. His remarks, however, once again thrust the spotlight on Neelam Devi — the woman who navigated the murky intersection of crime, power, and politics in Bihar as the wife of Mokama’s notorious strongman, Anant Kumar Singh, known widely as ‘Chhote Sarkar’.
This is not just the story of a gangster’s wife, but of a woman who stepped out of her husband’s shadow, ran his political network during his imprisonment, and rose from anonymity to the Bihar Assembly — only to be sidelined when her husband returned.
A love story that forged a political empire
Born on February 11, 1971, in Barh (Patna district), Neelam Devi studied up to Class 8. Local accounts say Anant Singh first saw her at an examination centre and instantly fell in love. Their marriage soon followed — a union that not only brought them together but also laid the foundation for a political dynasty that would dominate Mokama for decades.
Neelam, mother of four, managed the Singh household while Anant expanded his influence across central Bihar. For years, she remained a quiet figure known simply as Anant Singh’s wife — but those years of silence were also her political apprenticeship.
Stepping into politics: From Munger to Mokama
Politics was never far from Neelam’s life. Each time Anant was jailed, she took charge of his network, cadre, and finances. Her political debut came in 2019, when the Congress fielded her from the Munger Lok Sabha seat after Anant failed to secure a Mahagathbandhan ticket.
Though she lost to JDU’s Lalan Singh, her 3.6 lakh votes signalled her political potential in a space dominated by men.
Her breakthrough came in 2022, after Anant was convicted in a UAPA case and disqualified as an MLA. He chose Neelam to contest the Mokama bypoll on an RJD ticket. She won, defeating BJP’s Sonam Devi, and entered the Bihar Vidhan Sabha for the first time.
The power behind the throne
While Neelam Devi held the official position, real power continued to flow from jail. Every major decision was believed to carry Anant Singh’s nod, cementing his image as the “remote control” of Mokama politics.
Her term, however, wasn’t without controversy. Police records list several cases against her — including attempt to murder, forgery, cheating, and criminal conspiracy.
According to her 2025 election affidavit, Neelam is Bihar’s richest MLA, with assets worth ₹62.72 crore, surpassing even her husband’s declared wealth of ₹37.88 crore. Her assets include Hasan Manzil, a commercial complex on Patna’s Fraser Road, luxury cars worth ₹77 lakh, and gold valued at ₹76 lakh.
From power to political exile
Neelam’s ascent came to an abrupt halt in 2025. When Anant Singh was acquitted and released from jail in August, the political dynamics of Mokama shifted overnight.
Within weeks, Anant announced he would contest the next Assembly election himself, bluntly saying:
“She didn’t perform well. She couldn’t connect with the people.”
That single remark ended Neelam Devi’s short but remarkable political chapter. The woman once handpicked to preserve his legacy was now being replaced by the man who had made her powerful.
“We fell in love at first sight”
In a conversation with Bhaskar, Anant Singh reminisced about their early days.
“We fell in love the first time we met. I took her to the Kalighat Temple in Calcutta — we got married there and came back,” he said.
But in politics, love stories seldom have fairy-tale endings. Neelam Devi’s journey — from a modest student in Barh to the Assembly halls of Bihar, from being mocked to wielding power, and finally being cast aside — mirrors the paradox of Bihar’s politics, where loyalty, love, and ambition often collide, and power never truly changes hands — it merely changes faces.
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