The first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Bihar on Thursday is set to be a tough battle between the BJP-led NDA and the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance).
In the 2014 elections, the NDA had won all four seats — Gaya, Jamui (both reserved seats), Nawada and Aurangabad — going to the polls, but this time it appears to be tough for them to retain them.
Manjhi vs Manjhi
The NDA candidates apparently are relying on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charisma while the Grand Alliance is banking on caste calculations and local issues.
In Gaya, former Chief Minister and president of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) Jitan Ram Manjhi is pitted against NDA candidate Vijay Kumar Manjhi of the Janata Dal (United). Both come from lower Scheduled Caste Musahar (rat-catchers) community but Mr. Jitan Ram’s political stock appears to be high among the voters and Mr. Vijay Kumar, said locals, is a “lightweight candidate” against him.
Mr. Vijay Kumar is contesting a parliamentary election for the first time. His mother Bhagwati Devi had once represented the Gaya seat. The BJP dropped its sitting MP Hari Manjhi as the seat went to alliance partner JD(U) under the seat-sharing pact.
The bahubali factor
On the neighbouring Nawada seat, the contest is between NDA candidate Chandan Kumar Singh (Lok Janshakti Party) and Mahagathbandhan nominee Veebha Devi (RJD).
In 2014, firebrand BJP leader Giriraj Singh had won the seat but this time the BJP swapped this seat with LJP and shifted Mr. Giriraj Singh to Begusarai. The LJP candidate is the brother of don-turned-politician Surajbhan Singh, while the RJD has given the ticket to the wife of suspended party leader Raj Ballabh Yadav. Mr. Raj Ballabh is a known bahubali leader (strongman) in the area with huge assets. He is currently in jail in connection with an alleged rape case of a minor girl. For the voters, Mr. Chandan Singh is an outsider and Ms. Veebha Devi a local.
“Her husband may be in jail but his wife has no criminal record against her. Chandan Singh’s brother Surajbhan Singh too has a tainted past. At least Veebha Devi is a local and will be approachable,” said a group of villagers at Kharidi Bigha village in the constituency.
Caste calculations
In Jamui, NDA candidate Chirag Paswan (LJP) is contesting against Grand Alliance candidate Bhudeo Chaudhury (Rashtriya Lok Samata Party). In 2014, Mr. Chirag, son of Union Minister and LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, had defeated RJD candidate Sudhanshu Bhaskar from Jamui. Locals said the LJP leader had won the seat riding on the “Modi wave” and this time, too, he appears to be pushing hard on the “Modi magic and some development work done by him in the constituency”.
However, if the caste calculations work for the Mahagathbandhan candidate this time, Mr. Chaudhury could upset Mr. Chirag’s dream of retaining the seat for a second time, said locals.
On the Aurangabad seat, the NDA has retained its sitting MP Sushil Kumar Singh (BJP) against surprise Mahagathabandhan candidate Upendra Prasad (HAM-S).
Mr. Sushil Kumar won the seat in the last two Lok Sabha elections and is pushing hard this time to score a hat-trick. However, by fielding Mr. Upendra Prasad from the OBC Kushwaha caste, theMahagathbandhan has played the caste card to woo the backward and extremely backward voters in the constituency. “It will not be an easy win for the BJP candidate this time. The caste calculus in favour of the Mahagathbandhan candidate can throw a surprise result this time,” said Bharat Sao of Raniganj village in the constituency.