Patna: Politics in Bihar is heating up in the election year. While the ruling party accuses the Rashtriya Janata Dal of promoting hereditary politics, the RJD has been no less in attacking the government. Like in the past, all the three seats belonging to the family of Lalu Prasad Yadav – Chhapra, Raghopur and Mahua – are going to hog the headlines during the 2020 assembly election. Lalu’s family has been dominating Bihar politics for last three decades. Here is the ground report from the family’s three assembly seats.
Lalu Prasad Yadav has been contesting election from Chhapra while his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi has been contesting from Raghopur followed by their son Tejashwi Yadav.
Chhapra and Raghopur assembly constituencies are crucial this year also. Lalu’s elder son Tej Pratap had contested the last election from Mahua assembly constituency. But this time he is likely to contest from Tajpur assembly constituency of Samastipur.
Chhapra assembly seat: Lalu Prasad Yadav’s citadel
The most important assembly seat associated with the family of Lalu is Chhapra, considered as the premier seats of Bihar. It is considered the citadel of former chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. In the 2010 assembly election, BJP candidate Janardan Singh Sigriwal was elected as the MLA.
Later in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Sigriwal got elected from the Maharajganj parliamentary seat. During the by-election contested in the wake of Sigriwal moving to Lok Sabha, the assembly seat was won by RJD.
BJP won in 2015
In the 2015 assembly election, this seat was won by BJP candidate C N Gupta who defeated RJD’s former MLA Randhir Singh by a margin of over 11,000 votes. JDU and RJD had contested the polls unitedly that year.
In the last election, there was 51.87 per cent voting in Chhapra assembly constituency and the BJP had got the highest 45 per cent votes. The RJD got only 38 per cent votes. As the parties are not united, it would be difficult for RJD to win the seat.
In the last five elections, RJD could win only in the by-poll of 2014 while the BJP and JDU had won the seat twice each.NDA's candidate selection will be crucial.
Battle of Raghopur: Lalu family’s dominance
Raghopur assembly seat is one of the important seats in Bihar. The Raghopur assembly seats of Vaishali district had come in news in 1995 when the then chief minister Lalu Yadav contested from there. The seat was vacated for Lalu Yadav by Bhola Rai who recently joined JDU. Lalu Yadav had contested and won from Raghopur for the first time in 1995 as a Janata Dal candidate.
Rabri Devi took the lead after Lalu
After Lalu was jailed in 1997 following conviction in the fodder scam, Rabri Devi became the chief minister and she contested the assembly election from Raghopur. In the 2010 assembly election, JDU’s Satish Kumar defeated Rabri Devi.
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Will Tejashwi win again from Raghopur?
In 2015, Lalu introduced his son Tejashwi Yadav by replacing him from Raghopur. Tejashwi won the election with a massive margin of votes. Tejashwi is all set to contest the election once again from Raghopur. The contest is critical as Bhola Rai, who has represented the seat for three terms, have joined the JDU.
Situation is different this time from 2015
The situation of Raghopur assembly constituency this time is totally different this time. Last time JDU and RJD had contested the election unitedly. This time both parties have split.NDA is expected to introduce a strong candidate against Tejashwi Yadav as the seat is decisive in the election.
Tejashwi had contested his first election in 2015 and had defeated BJP’s Satish Kumar by a margin of more than 23,000 votes. Tejashwi had got 48.15 per cent votes against 37 per cent by Satish Kumar.
Interesting fight on Mahua seat
RJD had dominance on the Mahua assembly seat. This time the contest is expected to be interesting. However, this time Lalu’s son Tej Pratap is preparing to change his constituency from Mahua to Hasanpur in Samastipur. In 2015, Tej Pratap, contesting his first election, had defeated Ravindra Rai of HAM party by a margin of 28,000 votes.
RJD has advantage in Mahua
The two elections in 2005 were won by RJD’s Shivchandra Ram. However, in the 2010 election, JDU’s Ravindra Rai had won.
Tej Pratap shifting from Mahua to Hasanpur
According to sources, the RJD is likely to include Shivchandra Ram once again and it was also heard that Tej Pratap Yadav will contest from Hasanpur seat of Samastipur.
