Broken Promises: Caste, Crime and Politics in Bihar

by Mrityunjay Sharma

Broken Promises tells the story of Bihar's plunge into an abyss of crime, corruption and economic ruin during the tumultuous decade of the 1990s, often referred to as the ‘Jungle Raj’ years. How did a land, once the cradle of civilisation, devolve into a byword for the worst of India as described by The Economist in 2004?
Mrityunjay Sharma traces the post-Independence socio-politics of Bihar and the momentous events leading up to the ’90s: the unravelling of long-standing Congress governments, the rise of OBC assertion with Lohiaite politics, the JP movement that put the spotlight on young leaders like Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar, Karpoori Thakur's reservation formula, the rise of Naxal movements and the entry of socialist governments. 10 March 1990, the day Lalu took oath, was one of hope for millions in the state battered by poverty, caste atrocities and inequality. The political triumph of Lalu, a vociferous champion of the marginalised, as a reaction to centuries of oppression and the promise of upliftment and inclusion, ironically, worsened the socio-economic disparities in the state, accompanied by grave misgovernance, flourishing crime syndicates and caste armies, and the centre-staging of formidable bahubalis in politics.
Deeply engaging and richly insightful, Mrityunjay Sharma’s Broken Promises is not just a book about Bihar for Biharis. It is an eye-opening account of a large and socially complex participant in India's democracy, any shift within which sends ripples across national politics.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, India, History

348 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 11, 2024

About the author

Mrityunjay Sharma is a first-generation politician and entrepreneur. An engineering graduate from BIT Mesra, Ranchi and an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur, Mrityunjay worked in various senior HR roles at Asian Paints before moving to the hinterlands of Chhattisgarh, where he worked with the then-chief minister Dr Raman Singh on developmental issues. He subsequently moved to his home state of Jharkhand to join politics and work at the grassroots. He is currently the Convener - Election Management for BJP Jharkhand. Sharma is the co-founder of Ranchi-based start-up biofie.com. He also runs a social initiative called Kartavyapath to teach mathematics to underprivileged children and is a visiting faculty at several institutes, including the IIMs.

Reviews

[Akanksha Singh Raghuvanshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken Promises: Caste, Crime and Politics in Bihar" by Mrityunjay Sharma

"One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."

Bihar is an underdeveloped and underprivileged state of the nation. Once it was a realm of gods, kings, rebels, and learning; now it is plagued by poverty, caste-based politics, and unemployment. Over the past century, Bihar has been the scene of massive movements, violent mobilizations, suppression of popular solidarities, and continuous unrest in society. Caste-based politics perverts the modernization and democratization of politics.

Bihar has faced various massacres, crimes, caste politics, Naxalite movements, and much more. As the title suggests, this book demonstrates how, against the background of changing contours in caste in Bihar, the tactful management and administration of caste-based politics in Bihar has led to various movements, crimes, scams, and massacres. It examines what exactly Bihar has lost and what Bihar needs to move forward.

Distributed in seven titles, fifteen chapters, and 331 pages, this book covers the whole socio-political scenario of Bihar. Bihar's politics and land were dominated by four upper castes until the 1980s. Then came the rise of backward classes in politics, and Bihar faced several movements, the rise and decline of leaders and parties, the end of Congress, the decline of upper caste rule in politics, and the lands they lost in movements. The book discusses the regime of Lalu Yadav, detailing how only one backward caste took privileges under his rule, the scams and corruption during his time, and how caste politics led to massacres in Bihar.
The book explores what Bihar has lost in their regimes and how conflicts have plagued Bihar not so much from economic deprivation but from a deep sense of exclusion and marginality along caste lines.

It also covers the Naxalite movements in Bihar, the emergence of bahubali leaders, the position of the BJP in Bihar, and Bihar under Nitish Kumar.

This is a must-read book. I personally recommend everyone to read it, whether you are from Bihar or not, whatever state you belong to, and whatever your preferred genre is. Just give it a read.

[Himanshu Agrawal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book during my hospital stay, while undergoing a minor surgery. And if I finished this amidst IVs, antibiotics and painkillers in a day, I don't have to say that it was very captivating and a smooth read.

Mrityunjay has done an amazing job in simplifying the contemporary political dynamics of Bihar with enviable simplicity. If you were born in 80s or before, you would find so many events mentioned in this book, that you would remember from your memories- Mrityunjay tied them all well to make sense on why those happened and who/what was behind. Considering the changing political ecosystem of Bihar, along with knowledge it requires courage and strength to put this piece together.

Congratulations Mrityunjay on this amazing book. Wish you all the success and I'm looking forward to reading more of your works ahead.

[Manish Chandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who grew-up in Bihar during 90s and early 00's can vouch for all the things in the book. Lalu's "Jungle Raaj" for 15 years was one of the worst things to happen to this state! It's easy to make fun of Biharis in typical bollywood tone but little does anyone know the reason behind the plight of the people. The least they deserve is sympathy, let alone the respect!!

If you like to dig behind political reasons for Bihar's apathy, this is an excellent pick.

[Nihar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bihar, once the land of Buddhism, great empires, and the heart of Indian civilization, is now often seen as one of the most backward and caste divided states in India. I’m not from Bihar, but I feel a personal connection to it for two reasons: I’ve had wonderful Bihari friends, and my home state, Odisha, is often placed in the same category when it comes to development.

As someone who takes pride in his heritage, it always hurts to see Odisha being mocked for its poverty and underdevelopment.(Though it has reduced substantially due to some recent limited economic success)That’s why I understand how many Biharis must be feeling, and I’ve always wished for Bihar’s progress too.

I didn’t know much about Bihar before reading this book, but I never believed that a land so central to India’s civilization could be “inherently” backward. I wanted to understand what truly went wrong and this book explains that beautifully. It covers both the colonial history and, more importantly, the dark years between 1990 and 2005, when Bihar suffered terribly. The descriptions of rampant corruption, caste violence, gang wars, and kidnappings were both shocking and heartbreaking.

Thankfully, the political change in 2005 when Nitish Kumar replaced Lalu Yadav brought a ray of hope. It showed that while one leader can damage a state, another can rebuild it, though valuable years were lost.

I sincerely hope Bihar continues to grow, because when Bihar develops, India develops.

This book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand what went wrong in Bihar and how it’s making a comeback. Highly recommended.

[Aditya Saraff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mrityunjay's book is a collection of facts that are popular in Bihar but rarely get discussed outside the state despite the national significance they bear at times. Through this book, not only does Mrityunjay completely lay the politics of Lalu's Regime bare, but also not only give a blinkered view as he includes the affairs of the nation at large, national figures and ambitions that had a bearing on state politics as well. Despite my many disagreements with the book (such as the synonymous use of varna and caste), if a book can come the closest to describing the politics of Bihar, Lalu's 'jungle-raj' regime, and the plight of the residents of Bihar, many of them from the EBC background, it is this! A definite must read :)

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are books that report from the surface of political life — the polite version, full of data charts, bureaucratic diction, and the sanitized myth that democracy can be neatly documented. And then there are books like Mrityunjay Sharma’s ‘Broken Promises: Caste, Crime and Politics in Bihar’, which feel less like a monograph and more like a hand pressing on your sternum, forcing you to look at what India has tried so hard to avert its eyes from.

This is a book that does not whisper its truth. It drags the truth into the courtyard at noon and insists everyone look at the bloodstains.

Sharma walks into Bihar not as a tourist of tragedy, nor as a sociologist polishing a thesis, but as someone who understands that ‘‘the political story of Bihar is the story of India stripped of its makeup’’.

The caste equations, the violent negotiations for dignity, the porous membrane between politician and gangster, the constant recycling of hope into cynicism — all of it is presented not as isolated pathology but as a disturbingly lucid blueprint of the nation’s deepest fractures.

From its opening pages, ‘Broken Promises’ takes on the ethos of a post-mortem report: carefully detailed, procedural, yet tinged with the unmistakable smell of decay. Bihar becomes an autopsy table where each incision reveals not just local rot but a systemic sickness: historical marginalization, colonial administrative violence, post-independence betrayal, and a moral ecosystem that ran out of oxygen long before the Emergency.

If anything, Bihar is not the aberration — it’s the unfiltered mirror.

Sharma begins by grounding the narrative in the ‘‘caste arithmetic’’ that undergirds everything in the region — a matrix so old, so intimate, and so violently operative that political parties merely orbit around it like insects around a flickering lantern. The book’s ghastliness is not in sensational descriptions of violence, but in how calmly, how logically, Sharma outlines the structure that produces it.

Caste is not just background; it is the grammar in which power communicates.

We are walked through the 20th century, each decade leaving behind a different form of debris: feudal remnants hardened into landlord militias, revenge politics mutating into identity empowerment, the rise of the Bahubali — the strongman who emerges from social injustice like a tumor mistaken for muscle. The author traces how the criminal-politician nexus is not a sudden collapse of democratic ethics but the predictable outcome of socio-political oxygen deprivation.

What makes this book sing — or rather, hum like a faulty high-voltage transformer — is the precision with which Sharma handles ‘‘crime as political language’’. Crime in Bihar, he argues, is not deviance; it is participation. Violence is not chaos; it is communication. Elections are not contests of ideology; they are auctions, performances, and carefully choreographed negotiations of fear. And perhaps the most chilling point Sharma makes is that the public is not merely a passive victim of this structure — they are often its stakeholders, its believers, its reluctant co-authors.

The chapter analyzing the rise of ‘‘Lalu Prasad Yadav’’ is one of the book’s intellectual peaks. Sharma refuses to flatten Lalu into the easy caricatures beloved by elite commentators. Instead, he stages Lalu as both symptom and disruptor: a man who weaponized the historical silence of oppressed castes and turned political humiliation into mass mobilization.

But Sharma also unravels Lalu’s subsequent metamorphosis: how the rhetoric of subaltern dignity dissolved into dynastic theatre, corruption, and a governance paralysis that fed into the rise of new formations of power.

In a fascinating, grimly poetic way, the book treats Bihar’s political timeline as a series of ‘‘broken windows’’ — each era smashing a pane of possibility, leaving behind sharp fragments that the next generation must walk barefoot across. The Emergency is treated as one such shattering; the Mandal Commission as another; the rise of Maoist insurgency as the inevitable scream of regions and castes pushed against the wall for too long.

Sharma’s section on the ‘‘Naxal–state conflict’’ in central and southern Bihar is among the most ghastly, not because it sensationalizes violence, but because it reveals how methodically both sides learned to adapt to each other’s brutality. It’s a morbid dance, each partner mirroring the other’s ruthlessness. Villages become battlegrounds where ideology and survival blur so completely that children grow up recognizing the sound of specific guns the way urban children identify car horns. The state is often absent except as memory; governance is either a rumor or a weapon.

But perhaps the most devastating parts of ‘Broken Promises’ come not from the historical analysis but from Sharma’s deeply grounded portraits of ‘‘ordinary Biharis navigating extraordinary dysfunction’’. The teacher waiting months for a salary that will never arrive. The panchayat leader who must negotiate with both Maoists and local gangsters to hold a meeting. The landless laborer whose life toggles between census categories but never improves. These stories form the marrow of the book — quiet, horrifying, and heartbreakingly familiar to anyone who has seen rural India beyond the tourist-friendly patina.

Repeatedly, Sharma returns to the idea that ‘‘violence is rarely the first choice; it is the language left after every other language has been exhausted’’. This may be the book’s thesis in its most condensed form. Crime is not pathology; it is access. Politics is not representation; it is risk management. Democracy is not failing; it’s adapting to the ecosystem it was planted into — an ecosystem still shaped by caste hierarchies older than the Constitution.

One of the most hypnotic, ghastly chapters examines the rise of the ‘‘contractor–politician’’ — an evolutionary leap in Bihar’s political species. Here, Sharma dissects how the economy of development becomes a theatre of extortion.

Road contracts, school buildings, irrigation projects — each is a battlefield shaped not by efficiency but by who can extract loyalty through fear. The contractor becomes a middleman not between government and people, but between aspiration and threat.

Sharma’s writing gains a dark rhythm as he describes the mechanics of tender manipulation, protection money, and the choreography of violence. Each murder is not random but symbolic, a punctuation mark in a sentence written in blood. You begin to understand why the book needed the title it has: promises are not simply unkept; they are broken ceremonially, as if the breaking itself is the ritual that renews power.

And then there is ‘‘Nitish Kumar’’ — the figure around whom Sharma constructs his most morally ambiguous analysis. Neither condemnation nor praise dominates; instead, Nitish is portrayed as a man who restored administrative order while simultaneously threading together caste alliances with surgical precision. His governance, Sharma suggests, was less about transformation and more about anesthetizing chaos. The development narrative becomes a soft blanket thrown over unresolved fractures — comforting, but unable to heal.

The book’s second half takes on a tone of forensic pessimism. Sharma dissects how Bihar’s electoral politics function like a ‘‘revolving door of compromises��’. Each party promises revolution, delivers stagnation, and leaves behind a deeper rut for the next government to inherit. The system doesn’t collapse because collapse would require a functioning structure to begin with. What Bihar has instead is a self-renewing disorder, constantly rearranging itself but never reforming.

The ghastliest realization is how ‘‘normalized’’ this disorder has become. Sharma’s interviews reveal a population fluent in political cynicism, people who can predict election outcomes with the accuracy of astrologers reading an old horoscope. Crime data becomes a weather report; murders are footnotes; politicians are local mythologies rather than public servants. The moral numbness is not apathy — it’s adaptation.

In one of the book’s most haunting passages, Sharma writes about a young man who laughs when asked about the criminal record of his preferred candidate: “Bhaiya, ye sab toh hona hi hai. Bihari politics bina iske chal hi nahi sakti.” (“Brother, all this is expected. Bihar politics cannot function without it.”)

This single sentence encapsulates the thesis of ‘Broken Promises’: the fusion of crime and politics is not a distortion — it is the operating system.

As the book approaches its conclusion, it sheds any remaining hope like a snake shedding old skin. Yet there is something strangely beautiful in its pessimism — not aesthetic beauty, but the beauty of clarity. Sharma does not offer solutions because solutions would be dishonest. Instead, he offers understanding, which in a place like Bihar is perhaps the closest we can get to redemption.

He suggests that through all its bloodied chapters, Bihar remains a site of ‘‘ferocious resilience’’. People adapt, survive, rebuild, and continue to demand recognition. Caste hierarchies mutate, crime networks reconfigure, political alliances break and reform — but the will to endure remains constant. The promises may be broken, but the desire for dignity is not.

In the final pages, Sharma returns to the metaphor of the autopsy. Bihar, he argues, is not dead; it is chronically wounded. And chronic wounds require not swift surgery but a long, painful re-culturing of social, economic, and political soil — something no electoral cycle is capable of.

‘Broken Promises’ is not just a book; it is a reckoning. A reminder that behind every slogan of development lies a ledger of inequality, every electoral victory hides a cemetery of compromises, and every democracy contains within it a quiet, persistent violence that polite society refuses to acknowledge.

Sharma has written what may be one of the most important contemporary studies of Indian politics — not because it shocks, but because it reveals the mechanics behind the shock. Bihar becomes a parable, a cautionary tale, and a dissection table on which India’s democratic body is laid bare.

This book is ghastly because it is honest.

It is devastating because it is accurate.

And it is necessary because it refuses to let us look away.

A must read,

[Uzair Qadri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true opus on the basic working DNA of Bihar of the last 30 years. The basic enigma for me, as a reader, is how can it be that a state of around 12 crore people be led astray by just one individual, Lalu Prasad Yadav.

[Amrit Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most wonderfully engrossing and engaging page turner written in a tightly knit no holds barred narrative style chronicling the unbelieving happenings from the lost decades in the life and times of the state of Bihar. The book also delves into implications of the major policy and political decisions which lead the state to its present situation and also introduces or should I say reintroduces its readers to all the major characters involved.
Found this to be very informative and well edited compact sociopolitical history of a very tumultuous period in the history of state. Definitely serves as a good introduction to anyone looking to study the sociopolitical environment of the state.

[Swapna Peri ( Book Reviews Cafe ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before the 1990s, Bihar was known for its cultural heritage and agricultural prowess. However, it faced social and economic challenges like poverty and caste discrimination. The "Jungle Raj" era, marked by lawlessness, crime, and political instability, impacted Bihar's economy and reputation. Current efforts focus on restoring law, promoting economic growth, and improving governance.

Mrityunjay Sharma's book "Broken Promises: Caste, Crime, and Politics in Bihar" is a captivating and incisive look at Bihar's complex political environment during the turbulent Jungle Raj era. Sharma's rigorous research and heartfelt writing reveal the intricacies of a time marked by anarchy, corruption, and broken dreams. The book dives deeply into Bihar's history, laying the groundwork for a detailed knowledge of the sociopolitical processes that contributed to the catastrophe depicted in the novel.

A substantial chunk of the book is devoted to the Lalu Yadav era (1990-2005), during which Sharma presents a comprehensive analysis of Lalu's ascent to power and subsequent demise. Rather of casting Lalu as a caricature, Sharma depicts him as a product of his period, delving into his political brilliance, ability to polarize interest groups, and institutional flaws that contributed to the deterioration of government. Through vivid storytelling and fascinating character depictions, Sharma captures the core of Bihar's decline into disorder, offering a striking image of a society on the verge of anarchy.

What distinguishes "Broken Promises" is its investigation of the human cost of Jungle Raj. The book presents readers with devastating tales and personal testimonies of regular folks caught in the crossfire of political maneuvering and criminal activity. Sharma's humanity and compassion show through, making these stories emotional and captivating while emphasizing the catastrophic consequences of unbridled power on individuals and communities.

Furthermore, the book critically investigates the structural flaws that enabled the Jungle Raj to exist, examining the relationship between politicians, bureaucrats, and criminals. By providing vital insights into the structural challenges that continue to plague Bihar's government, "Broken Promises" is a compelling reminder of the dangers of unfettered authority and the significance of accountability in a democratic society. It forces readers to confront hard facts about power, justice, and the search of a better society, making it a must-read for everyone interested in Bihar's grim history and the long-lasting impact of Jungle Rule.

[Rohit Tandekar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book on Bihar that I picked up while I was in Kerala - the irony can't get any more stronger than that. I'm glad this book was written, packaged in eye-catching details and I picked it up. It rests deservingly on my bookshelf.

Broken Promises is essentially about the period Bihar was under Lalu's chief ministership - from 1990 to 2005. It highlights how Lalu used his OBC status to play vote bank politics, where Yadav was the new Brahmin. The focus on caste meant that focus on development was neglected - to the point where key positions of power in the ministry, administration etc. were kept vacant because suitable Yadav candidates weren't available. Mr. Sharma also deepdives in length about corruption, policies, crime, failures in health and education and dirty politics in Bihar. It has several names and interesting anecdotes that stay with you - like how Lalu arrested Advani, mocked Modi, fought with Nitish, made his illiterate wife Rabri the CM, turned a blind eye to caste genocides by Bhumihars, Rajputs and Dalits etc.

It's not until the section of Nitish arrives that you realise that this book can very easily be (and it actually might be) a pro-Nitish propaganda machine. As per the book, EVERYTHING about Lalu's term was bad and almost EVERYTHING about Nitish's term has been good. I'm extremely uncomfortable with extremes and when politics is looked at from a binary lens.

The one star less is because of this. I wish the author was more objective about his criticism and reflections on Bihar instead of picking sides. The language and editing could have been sharper too.

Pick this up if you want to know more about a state that unfortunately looks like it's beyond repair. Get ready to highlight most of the book and paste bookmarks everywhere.

[Sourav Chandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hailing myself from Nalanda Bihar, which would otherwise only provide for a partial outlook of Bihar, the book encompasses the true fabric of the state. Of all legends we otherwise hear from Bihar, the book provides for the crudest account of the countryside people. The natives so peculiarly appropriated by the author is a timeless footprint which otherwise so long has been seen from only a distance. What it is like to wake at the dawn in one of the culturally richest yet faintly acknowledged state, the book is a feast encompassing socio-cultural, political and economic paradigm of the state. A must read !!!

[ShiVam MisHra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gives the history of Bihar and its current relevance with state politics. The book which is divided into 15 chapters, will surely help anyone who wants to the whereabouts of Bihar and why it faced various massacre, caste based crimes, naxal attacks etc. after the independence. Why Bihar is underprivileged and far behind when it comes to development, why this state has been in a tug of war situation for power occupancy, it answers such questions. From Karpoori Thakur to Nitish Kumar, Bihar had come a long way and the politics of the state has evolved accordingly. It will take you through the annals of Bihar and will make you aware of the heinous crimes which shook the nation.

[Amit Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book does an excellent job of answering what many Indians wondered while growing up: Why is Bihar always in the news for the wrong reasons? The author provided a nice chronological account of a series of political missteps that led the state to its present condition. It also serves as a warning to the larger Indian state as to what might go wrong in the future if caste based politics is further adapted. The way the current trajectory of the political discourse is going (especially by the opposition), frankly it's not impossible and that's why the book is a bit scary to read as well.

[Anurag Moitra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book offers a solid introduction to Bihar's political landscape, touching upon key aspects of the infamous Jungle Raj era.

While it provides a broad overview, it might leave some readers wanting more in-depth discussions of certain topics. However, given the vast amount of information to cover, a more comprehensive exploration could have significantly increased the book's length.

Ultimately, this book is well-suited for young readers or those seeking a nostalgic glimpse into the "good old days" of Jungle Raj.

[Biswapriya Mazumder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The vivid portrayal of the expectations of the people of the land, the betrayals by the leaders in power, the casteism and how these complicated issues revolves, narrated in a nice storytelling style keeps the reader glued to the book......

This heavily researched upon literature is a must read for anyone who wants a peek into the situations that formed the politics of one of the most populous states in the largest democracy of the world.

[Sankalp Awasthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mrityunjaya Sharma, in his debut, has written the quintessential book on the dark age of modern Bihar (1990-2005). Lalu’s raj, characterised as Gunda Raj in almost all published media, is analysed and dissected in great detail. The cast politics, government-criminal syndicate, brain drain and labour migration, and the general apathy of the politicians to govern is explained in well formed verses, complete with references and anecdotes.

This book is a 101 read for anyone interested in politics and wants to learn how Bihar happened to be in its present state.

[Ravish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well researched book on the political chronology of Bihar. It gave me a lot of insights on Bihar and Bihari diaspora. The caste wars, criminalization of politics, ignoring development over vote bank politics during Lalu's jungle raj brought back so many memories of my growing years. Mrityunjay Sharma has penned down the complex history of Bihar in very carefully drafted storyline which is both pacy and thrilling. Worth reading and gifting to those curious about Bihar.

[Saurav Anand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched and well presented

Great authorship by Mrityunjay ji. Lucid details about important milestones in Bihar’s history with a rather unbiased approach. Having been born and brought up in Bihar, many aspects of this book connected to my own memory of the place during the 90s.

[Satyajeet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written with a narrative to describe the timeline of the issues with cause and effect of many events that happened in Bihar during 1990 and 2005. Helps you understand what made Bihar 'Bihar' and how it got its image that it holds till today.

[Ajay Khaitan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read for anyone interested in Indian politics!

[Samant Satyendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read!!

[Abhishek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Needs a part two. This book covers the Lalu regime. Part two would cover the Nitish regime. Also, a suitable prequel to this would be the time from pre independence to the time this book starts.

[Nitesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most compelling read to a person who is interested in knowing all the recent history of Bihar and what all major incident happened in Bihar post independence.
the author has almost covered all the incidents and events of Bihar in detail.