By Arvind Chaturvedi
Nagarmal Bajoria, alias Dhartipakad, of Bhagalpur, Bihar, who contested 281 elections, passed away at the age of 96. He contested elections continuously and made his mark in history by losing (or forfeiting his deposit) every time.
Nagarmal Bajoria, alias Dhartipakad, was a well-known businessman and social worker from Bhagalpur, Bihar. Born in Lahore in undivided India, Bajoria (alias Dhartipakad) came to Bhagalpur in the 1930s and established his business in the city’s main market.
He contested 281 elections, ranging from Panchayat elections to the country’s presidential election. He never won any election, but through his continuous participation in democracy, he became famous across the country as “Dhartipakad”.
Nagarmal Bajoria’s first notable national-level electoral contest was in 1969, when he filed his nomination against the then presidential candidate V.V. Giri.
For Dhartipakad, contesting elections was more a means to draw attention to social and national issues and to motivate voters to choose the best candidate than to become an MP or MLA.
Nagarmal Bajoria, alias Dhartipakad, used to say, “I don’t lose elections; the people always lose.” He always maintained that his aim was not to win elections or gain power but to make common citizens realise their true strength in democracy and to keep the electoral process vibrant.
He lost 281 elections — from municipal corporation elections to the presidential election — but his passion for fighting in the electoral arena never diminished.
Bajoria loved contesting elections, even though victory never came his way. However, he was never disheartened by this and would often say, “I don’t lose elections; the people always lose.”
His electoral journey began with municipal body elections and reached the Lok Sabha (MP) elections in Patna and Delhi. He contested elections against many political stalwarts, including Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and L.K. Advani.
Later, he filed nominations 18 times for the posts of President and Vice President, with his last electoral participation being in 2019.
Bajoria dedicated himself to social service — from organising mass marriages for poor girls to promoting simple, dowry-free weddings and helping install hand pumps (tube wells) wherever drinking water was needed.
Nagarmal Bajoria, alias Dhartipakad, always remained far from electoral victory, but his continuous participation in the democratic process, his courage to challenge the system, and his never-give-up attitude will always remain alive in the memories of the people of Bhagalpur and the nation.
