March 29, 2024

The Bihar

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Former Union minister from Bihar making effort to re-enter Lok Sabha for the sixth time

2 min read

raghuvansh-prasad-singhPatna: The former minister in the Manmohan Singh cabinet, RJD nominee Raghuvansh Prasad Singh is making an effort to re-enter the Lok Sabha from Vaishali parliamentary constituency for the sixth time in a row. The former union rural development minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has claimed he has no competition in the constituency. 

A five-time Lok Sabha MP from Vaishali since 1996 upbeat Raghuvansh Babu is on cloud nine. 

After filing nomination on Thursday, the 68-year-old old, candidly said: “mera kisi ke saath contest ho sakta hai kya? They don’t deserve it.” RJD nominee Singh is fighting against BJP backed LJP candidate Rama Kishore Singh alias Rama Singh, Janata Dal (U) nominee Vijay Sahni and Annu Sukla, MLA, an independent candidate. 

Raghuvansh is a ‘thinker’ of RJD. He has earned a reputation as a politician due to his integrity and efficiency. A socialist to the core, Raghuvansh is a product of the JP Movement. He had his baptism in politics when he took active part in political agitations and was jailed too. Only last week Raghuvansh hogged headlines when he was profusely praised by the former media advisor of PM Manmohan Singh, Sanjaya Baru, in his recent book “The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh”. 

Baru has devoted four pages (page 142-46) on Raghuvansh Singh’s contribution in the implementation of MNREGA during his tenure as union rural development minister. “Raghuvansh Prasad Singh was one person Dr Manmohan Singh would have loved to induct into his council of ministers in 2009, but could not because of the parting of ways between the Congress and Lalu Prasad’s RJD,” Baru said in his book. PM Dr Singh had high regard and great affection for Singh, a one-time professor and a grassroot politician, the book said. 

Talking to TOI over phone from a remote area in Vaishali, Singh, a former chairman of the Bihar Legislative Counil (1994-95), said: “my main aim is to bring back the lost glory of ancient Vaishali.” 

Raghuvansh’s close aid Ranjeet said that he has opened more than 60 public libraries in the constituency to inculcate reading habits among the younger generation. In fact, his famous slogan “Madiralalaya nahi pustakalaya chahiye,” (we don’t want liquor shop, we want library) is popular in the remote areas of Vaishali. 

The replacement of several burnt power transformers and plantation of saplings of mango trees from Vaishali to Sahebganj covering a stretch of 60km is appreciated by the local people, Ranjeet said. 

Having won the LS elections from Vaishali five times in a row, Raghuvansh, was a lecturer in Mathematics in S R K Goenka College, Sitamarhi, under BRA Bihar University. He was dismissed from the university service during emergency and was reinstated later. 

Singh is, however, facing the anti-incumbency factor in the constituency. RJD nominee will also have to face the “Modi factor”. “Raghuvansh Singh’s one major strength is that his opponents are very weak and of doubtful credentials, said Ramji Yadav of Maniapur village.

Courtesy: TNN

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