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    Madhubani Lok Sabha seat: BJP hopes for hat trick, opposition counts caste number

    Synopsis

    Madhubani has the highest population of Brahmins, who form around 35% of the population followed by Muslims (19%) and Nishad (10%) voters.

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    Hukmdev Narayan (Left) and Ashok Yadav (Right)
    MADHUBANI: The BJP is looking to score a hat-trick for the Madhubani Lok Sabha seat in Mithilanchal region of Bihar, which goes to polls on May 6, during the fifth phase. The party has fielded Ashok Yadav, son of four-time BJP MP Hukmdev Narayan Yadav.

    Pitted against him, on the Grand Alliance side, is VIP candidate Badri Purbe, a businessman based out of Darbhanga and son for a former MLA.

    Madhubani Lok Sabha seat in Mithilanchal region of Bihar is going to vote in the fifth phase on May 6. It has the highest population of Brahmins, who form around 35% of the population followed by Muslims (19%) and Nishad (10%) voters. Yadavs and the most backward classes (MBC) also form a sizeable chunk. Vaishyas form around 6% of the voters.

    In 2014, BJP’s Hukmdev Narayan Yadav had won this seat by 20,000 votes defeating RJD’s Abdul Bari Siddiqui. JDU has contested separately in 2014 and its candidate Ghulam Ghous had got 56,000 votes.

    “In 2014, the Nishads and Bania voters were with Modi,” says Mukesh Sahni, president, VIP.

    “However, this time, this vote will come to us as my party is contesting the seat. We will take around one lakh votes which went to the BJP last time.” Purbe of VIP is a Bania and Sahni hopes that he will make a dent into the Bania voters of the BJP.

    However, what is troubling his calculation is former Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad who is contesting as an independent from the seat. Ahmad has won this seat twice in the past and was hoping to get a Congress ticket. But since the seat went to VIP, Ahmad decided to contest as an independent.

    Madhubani has six assembly seats and in 2015, RJD won three seats and Congress, BJP and RLSP won one each. The lone Congress MLA from Benipatti, Bhavna Jha is also supporting Ahmad and this could make the BJP’s ride comfortable.

    “Ahmad has influence in every caste in the region and Muslims would be divided in their voting preference,” said Mohammad Nisar in Benipatti market. On the other hand, Brahmins and a section of Yadavs too seem to be backing BJP candidate Ashok Yadav.

    “Hukmdev Babu is the most popular leader and has started his politics at the panchayat level,” says Narhari Yadav from Bijuli village, the native place of Hukmdev Narayan Yadav. Giridhar Jha, who runs a dhaba, says, “There is no chance of voting for anyone except the BJP. Not only Brahmins, but Yadavs, Banias and Nishads too are voting for Modi in large numbers.”

    “Purbe is no match for Ashok Yadav,” says Saroj Kumar Sah, a Bania in Harlakhi market. “Besides, this vote is for Modi. We would have voted for any BJP candidate.”

    Former RJD MP Ali Ashraf Fatimi, who rebelled from the party, is working hard to defeat the Alliance candidate.


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