If Uttar Pradesh politics has a permanent address that defies every wave, it is Kunda in Pratapgarh. And its permanent resident is Kunwar Raghuraj Pratap Singh, famously known as Raja Bhaiya. Born on 31st October 1968 in Kolkata into the royal family of Bhadri-Benti estate, Raja Bhaiya inherited not just a fort but a feudal connect that no EVM can erase.
His grandfather Bajrang Bahadur Singh was a freedom fighter and later Governor of Himachal Pradesh. His father Uday Pratap Singh is still considered the social patriarch of Kunda who never contested elections but controlled them. Raised between Lucknow University classrooms and the dusty darbars of Bhadri Fort, Raja Bhaiya learned two languages early – English for the elite and the language of thana-kachahari for the poor. By 25, he was an MLA.
From 1993 to 2022, he has won seven consecutive assembly elections, never on a national party ticket till 2022. In 1993, he polled 89,473 votes with 69.58% vote share as an Independent. In 2017, when BJP swept UP with 325 seats, Raja Bhaiya polled 1,36,597 votes with 67.95% vote share, the highest in UP, winning by 1,03,647 votes. In 2022, contesting on his own Jansatta Dal Loktantrik, he got 99,612 votes (50.58%) against SP’s Gulshan Yadav who got 69,297 (35.19%), margin 30,315 – his lowest but enough for a 7th term.
His power lies in his daily Janta Darbar at Bhadri where 300-500 people come every morning. He wakes at 4 AM, wrestles in akhara, rides horses, and then listens to complaints – from land disputes to police cases. For his supporters, he is a saviour who gets work done with one call to the DM. For his critics, he runs a parallel state and was once called ‘Kunda ka Gunda’ by Kalyan Singh. He was jailed under POTA in 2003, accused in the DSP Zia-ul-Haq murder case in 2013 but got CBI clean chit, and faced allegations of running a torture pond.
His personal life is equally dramatic. Married in 1995 to Princess Bhanvi Kumari Singh of Basti estate, father of four, the couple is now embroiled in a bitter divorce battle with allegations of domestic discord that reached TV studios in 2023-25. His affidavit shows assets worth Rs 25-30 crores, a fleet of Land Cruisers and licensed rifles.
As of 2026, ahead of 2027 UP Assembly elections, Raja Bhaiya is a strategic asset. BJP wants him to consolidate Thakur votes in Pratapgarh-Prayagraj-Kaushambi belt. SP wants him to break Thakur consolidation. He himself wants to launch his son Shivraj Pratap Singh and become a state-level minister or kingmaker. Whether he allies with BJP, SP or fights alone on 100 seats, the man from Bhadri Fort will again decide who forms government in Lucknow. In UP, you may ignore Delhi, but you cannot ignore Kunda.
In next five years, his aim is to establish his son/daughter/nephew in politics and himself get a ministerial berth or big organizational role at state level.
FAQ:
Q: What is the caste and family background of Raja Bhaiya?
A: Raja Bhaiya belongs to Thakur/Rajput community and is the heir of Bhadri-Benti princely state in Pratapgarh, UP. His family has royal lineage dating back to 15th century.
Q: How many times has Raja Bhaiya won from Kunda?
A: He has won 7 consecutive times from Kunda since 1993 (1993, 1996, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2022) and has never lost an election.
Q: Which party does Raja Bhaiya lead now?
A: He founded Jansatta Dal Loktantrik in 2018, which fought 2022 UP polls. Its symbol is cup-plate.
Q: What are the major controversies around Raja Bhaiya?
A: He faced POTA in 2003, was accused in 2013 DSP Zia-ul-Haq murder case but got CBI clean chit, and is in a divorce dispute with wife Bhanvi Singh since 2022.
Q: What is Raja Bhaiya’s total assets?
A: As per 2022 affidavit on MyNeta, his declared assets are around Rs 25-30 crore including Bhadri fort portion, luxury SUVs and licensed weapons.
