Uday Narain Choudhary, Chirag Paswan locked in ‘straight’ fight in Bihar

Jamui: Around 16 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in the elections to Jamui (reserved) parliamentary constituency on April 10. There are 11 contestants in the fray, including Bihar assembly Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary of JD(U), Chirag Paswan, actor and son of LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan (NDA), Sudhanshu Shekhar Bhasker (RJD), Brahmdeo Narain Paswan (BSP), Upendra Das (JMM) and Binod Kumar Das (AAP), but a straight fight between the JD(U) and LJP candidates seems apparent in the constituency.

Bhudeo Choudhary, the sitting JD(U) MP from Jamui, who won the seat in 2009 securing 1,78,560 votes trouncing the RJD nominee, Shyam Rajak, was denied ticket this time.

The sudden visit of state agriculture minister Narendra Singh and his holding close-door meeting with Maulana Wali Rehmani of Khanqah, a religious seat of Munger, on Sunday afternoon is considered very significant, though the minister only said he had come for getting the blessings of Maulana Saheb for the victory of his party in the elections. Khanqah is said to wield considerable influence over the minority community in social and religious matters, but Wali Rehmani is a man of high principles.

Under these circumstances, Choudhary will have to struggle hard to retain the seat for the party due to the presence of two strong opponents – Chirag Paswan (LJP) and Sudhanshu Kumar Bhasker (RJD).

The candidates are facing anger of people due to lack of development works in the constituency. Jamui’s drinking water supply system, commissioned in 1971, has become non-functional for the last three years. The main water tower near the sadar hospital here remains a showpiece. The demand for grant of subdivisional status to Jhajha has not been fulfilled yet, even though Chandra Shekhar Singh of Jamui had become the chief minister some decades back while Tripurari Prasad Singh had held the post of assembly Speaker.

Suraj Kumar, a local social worker, said that Jamui hasn’t developed due to infighting among the leaders of political parties. Jagdish Mahto, a farmer of village Santhoo, complained that water for irrigation is still a dream, what to talk of power connection. A tribal youth, native of a village under Sikendra PS area, said villagers who refuse to obey the diktats of Maoists, are targeted and more than two dozens persons had been killed by the Naxalites since 2010, but the administration has not provided foolproof security to villagers.

Courtesy: TNN