NDA on firm footing for Bihar bypolls, AIMIM set to give fight in Kishanganj

For the lone Parliamentary seat (Samastipur), NDA ally LJP has nominated Prince Raj, son of late LJP leader Ramchandra Paswan, whose death prompted the bypoll. Prince Raj will be up against senior Congress leader Ashok Ram, seen as his nearest rival.

The JD(U) is contesting the remaining four Assembly segments going to the bypolls: Daraunda, Belhar, Simri Bakhtiyarpur and Nathnagar.

But the most engrossing battle could be seen for Kishanganj seat, where Kishanganj Lok Sabha MP Mohammed Jawed’s mother Saeda Bano is the Congress candidate against BJP’s Sweety Singh. Although the seat has traditionally been a Congress bastion, and seen a straight contest between the party and the BJP, Owaisi’s AIMIM has made things tricky. The party polled nearly 3 lakh votes in the Lok Sabha polls and took the third slot.

AIMIM has fielded Kamrul Hoda, JD(U)’s former Kishanganj unit president. Party leader Adil Hasan Azad said, “We are focussing on the NRC issue. While we saw the youth coming with us (during Lok Sabha polls), now, we sense even the elderly supporting us. The Congress should be ready for a surprise — we may upset the party’s family dominance here.”

Of the remaining seats, Belhar will see a direct contest between JD(U)’s Laldhari Yadav, brother of party’s Banka MP Giridhari Yadav, and former MLA Ramdev Yadav of the RJD. While RJD is seen as offering a fight, local BJP leader Mrinal Shekhar said, “The NDA is firmly placed in Belhar given Giridhari Yadav’s long connect with the area and overall popularity of NDA governments in both Bihar and at the Centre”.

In Darounda, JD(U) has fielded Ajay Singh, husband of party’s Siwan MP Kavita Singh. The family has traditionally represented this segment, with Ajay Singh’s mother Jagmato Devi and later wife Kavita Singh representing it in Vidhan Sabha. The seat fell vacant after Kavita won the Lok Sabha polls, defeating Hina Shahab, wife of former MP Mohammed Shahabuddin.

The RJD has fielded upper caste Rajput leader Umesh Singh to split the community’s votes. In Nathnagar, the JD(U) has fielded its former Bhagalpur president Laxmi Mandal against RJD’s Rabiya Khatoon.

Manjhi’s party, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) has put up its own candidate, Ajay Rai, who comes from Dhanuk, an EBC community.

In Simri Bakhtiyarpur, JD(U)’s Arun Yadav in a direct contest with RJD’s Zafar Alam. VIP has fielded Dinesh Yadav.