Meet RJD MLA Gautam Krishna, Who Rose From Poverty To Politics, Commutes By Auto Rickshaw
Bihar's 'simple' MLA, who was influenced by the Anna Hazare movement, left the job of a BDO to opt for politics.
Published : December 3, 2025 at 7:13 PM IST
Patna: It is a common sight to witness MLAs and MPs and ministers dressed in spotless white kurta pajamas and bundis. Most of them flaunt luxury vehicles and grand bungalows, and are often accompanied by a ring of black cat security guards.
However, today the focus is on a contrasting figure – a humble MLA, who commutes to the Assembly in auto-rickshaw. When the Bihar Vidhan Sabha winter session began from December 1, he arrived in an auto-rickshaw. He does not wear traditional kurta and pajamas, opting instead for simple pant and slippers.
Meet Gautam Krishna who was elected for the first time as the MLA from the Mahishi Assembly constituency in the Bihar Assembly Election 2025. Gautam Krishna secured his seat while contesting on an RJD ticket. Few could have predicted that someone from a simple village and a poor family background would win the contest as a state legislator.
Krishna, a resident of Sahabat Gothia in the Madhepura district, said his journey from a Block Development Officer (BDO) to an MLA was fraught with challenges. He recounted his struggle to overcome numerous obstacles during this period but maintained that he never succumbed to despair. Although he initially secured a government job to uplift his family from poverty, he chose to resign shortly thereafter to pursue a different path.
His foray into public life began with the Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement. While preparing for civil services in Delhi, Gautam joined the Anna Hazare agitation in the national capital along with his friend Roshan Sharma. His participation in the movement kindled in Gautam a strong attraction toward social service and a political career.
Gautam Krishna also shared how he could fulfil his father’s aspirations. His father wished his son to become a capable, educated individual who would secure a stable government job, to finally have a stable family. When Gautam expressed his desire to enter politics, his father was initially resistant, preferring the job security of a government position - despite the father himself being an active RJD party worker at that time.
"Initially I was not interested in politics, while I was studying in Delhi. Anna Hazare movement drew me towards politics,” said Gautam Krishna, the newly elected RJD MLA, Mahishi Assembly constituency.
Gautam comes from a poor family with just about half a bigha of land and some ancestral property in his name. The financial situation of the house was such that at the time of the sister's marriage, 15 cottah of land had to be sold.
Gautam excelled in studies after he enrolled in Patna College. He was a topper and won Gold Medal in Political Science in Patna University. He then moved to Delhi in 2008 to prepare for Civil Services. He cleared BPSC 53-55 Batch Combined Exam in 2013 and got selected as BDO. After this, he was posted as block development officer in Nauhatta block of Saharsa district, he resigned from the job after 14 months.
Gautam Krishna had inter-caste love marriage in 2014. His in-laws house is in Jagdeo Path of Patna. When he decided to resign from government service, his father opposed but wife stood by him.
“Politics is very difficult. I was resigning from my job, until that time I didn't think that I would join any political party and do politics,” said Krishna.
Why did he contest the elections from Mahishi? Krishna said, “As a BDO, I had worked in Nauhatta block for 14 months. Today, I have come as an MLA from the same area of Kosi, where there is still poverty.”
He said the salary he will get as an MLA will be spent on three fronts. "The right to the first share belongs to his family. The other part will be given to the workers of the party, who sweated. The third part will go for humanitarian work," Krishna added.
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