This story is from May 8, 2019

BJP sees a ray of hope in ‘split’ in Yadav votes in Maharajganj

It is a battle between two Rajputs in Maharajganj where sitting BJP MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal is pitted against RJD’s Randhir Singh, the son of incarcerated bahubali and four times MP Prabhunath. Former Bihar CM Rabri Devi’s brother Anirudh Prasad Yadav alias Sadhu Yadav has joined the fray on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket in a bid to make it a triangular contest.
BJP sees a ray of hope in ‘split’ in Yadav votes in Maharajganj
MAHARAJGANJ: It is a battle between two Rajputs in Maharajganj where sitting BJP MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal is pitted against RJD’s Randhir Singh, the son of incarcerated bahubali and four times MP Prabhunath. Former Bihar CM Rabri Devi’s brother Anirudh Prasad Yadav alias Sadhu Yadav has joined the fray on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket in a bid to make it a triangular contest.
Sigriwal is banking on the Modi wave in the arguably called second ‘Chittorgarh’ of Bihar (the first being Aurangabad).
“I remain connected with the people in my constituency on over 250 out of 365 days in a year. I am quite certain of my victory. While there is huge support for PM Modi, people are no longer scared of the muscleman image of the other two candidates in the fray, who at times use unparliamentary language against me,” Sigriwal told TOI.
Sigriwal is hopeful of getting benefited by the division of Yadav votes due to the presence of Sadhu, the brother-in-law of RJD chief Lalu Prasad.
Randhir (36) believes the Rajputs would vote for him because of his father, whose supporters at times had countered those of jailed don Md Shahabuddin in neighbouring Siwan in the 1990s. Incidentally, Shahabuddin’s wife Hena Sahab is contesting from Siwan on an RJD ticket. Randhir is also banking on the traditional Muslim-Yadav electors of RJD along with the support from the Kushwahas, Mallahs and dalits because of RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha, Mukesh Sahni and Jitan Ram Manjhi, who are in the Grand Alliance with RJD and Congress in Bihar.
“My biggest support is the people of this constituency, who have deep attachment with my father. I have been interacting with them over the last one and a half years. I am confident of getting at least 75% of the Rajput votes. They have seen what my father did for Maharajganj. He always remained with them in times of happiness as well as sorrow. And, people are furious over the political conspiracy which resulted in his jail term. But I am sure he will come out of jail soon,” Randhir told TOI.

Prabhunath is in Hazaribag jail after his conviction in a 1995 case of his own relative Ashok Singh’s murder at Patna. Earlier, Prabhunath had won parliamentary elections on a JD(U) ticket in 1999 and 2004, but later changed sides to Lalu’s RJD and won the byelection in 2013 after the demise of sitting MP Umashankar Singh, who had defeated him in 2009.
Randhir claims he is going to the people with a clean image. “Had my father been with the BJP, he would have been out of jail. But it is only because he left JD(U), which is part of BJP-led NDA, that he has been sent behind bars. Nonetheless, I have a clean image and the only case against me is for violation of the model code of conduct,” Randhir said.
Vijay Singh, a Rajput from Maharajganj town, however, claimed that people no longer are swayed by Bahubali politicians. “You can see that the RJD candidates in Maharajganj and Siwan are relatives of jailed dons. Those days are gone when people used to vote under fear,” he said.
Bhairu Sharma, a shopkeeper in Tairiya assembly segment under Maharajganj Lok Sabha seat, claimed that Randhir would get votes in his father’s name. “Sigriwal will also get votes in the name of PM Modi. Thus, it is a tough fight here,” Sharma said.
Ramesh Rai, on the other hand, termed it as ‘Lalu versus Modi’ battle in Maharajganj. “While Randhir represents Lalu, Sigriwal is a Modi nominee,” Rai said.
Jammudin Alam, secretary of RJD minority cell, told TOI at Maharajganj that Randhir would hopefully get Rajput votes apart from that of Muslims, Yadavs, Kushwahas and Mallahs.
Bhola Singh of Jagdishpur, however, feels electors are getting swayed by nationalism and development factor led by PM Modi. “No social equation will be able to overcome the two factors associated with Modi along with development in the state and extremely back ward caste support for CM Nitish Kumar,” Bhola said.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA