Patna: Political activism seems to run deep in the family of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. His cousin, 34-year-old Divya Gautam, has filed her nomination papers to contest the Bihar Assembly elections as a Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation [CPI(ML)-L] candidate from the Digha constituency in Patna district.

The seat, a BJP stronghold since 2015 under MLA Sanjeev Chaurasiya, is now expected to see a keen contest as the Left parties declare their first slate of 18 candidates. The CPI(ML) is part of the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance, alongside the RJD and Congress, though a final seat-sharing arrangement is still under discussion. The last date for filing nominations for the first phase of polling on 121 seats is 17 October.

When asked about contesting without a formal seat-sharing announcement, Gautam told Hindustan Times, “Please ask my leaders about the seat-sharing. My party asked me to file a nomination from Digha, and I did.”

Who is Divya Gautam?

Divya Gautam, an academic and political activist, has long been associated with the All India Students’ Association (AISA), the student wing of CPI(ML). A journalism and mass communication graduate from Patna College, she also holds a postgraduate degree in the same discipline.

She began her political journey during her student days, contesting the 2012 Patna University Students’ Union elections as an AISA candidate, narrowly losing to ABVP’s Ashish Sinha. “That election changed me as a person,” she recalled, adding that “money, power and negative mobilisation” influenced the outcome.

Before diving full-time into politics, Gautam worked as an assistant professor at Patna Women’s College between 2011 and 2014. She later cracked the Bihar Public Service Commission exam in 2021 but chose not to join as a supply inspector, citing her commitment to public service through activism.

While she acknowledges not sharing ideological similarities with her famous cousin, Sushant Singh Rajput, she said they were “culturally bound by the same thread.”

With her academic background, activism roots, and Left credentials, Divya Gautam’s candidacy adds an intriguing dimension to the Digha battle — one that blends political ideology, youth engagement, and the enduring legacy of a famous family name.