GAYA(BIHAR): Bhagirath Manjhi, son of Bihar’s legendary “Mountain Man” Dasarath Manjhi, is disappointed he didn’t get a Congress ticket to fight the elections despite an assurance from Rahul Gandhi.
During Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Gehlour village in Gaya district in August, he had promised Bhagirath a party ticket, raising hopes among locals that the Congress would honor the legacy of the man who cut through a mountain to connect his isolated village.
“I stayed in Delhi for four days and submitted all documents, but did not get a ticket,” Bhagirath told the paper while sitting near his father’s memorial.
However, Bhagirath, who joined the Congress in January in Rahul Gandhi’s presence, said he still holds no grudge: “He gave us a home. I only wish he had given me a chance, too.”
Bhagirath, now in his late sixties, had sought to contest from Barachatti or Imamganj constituencies, both with a sizeable Manjhi population. “Had the Congress given me a ticket, the party would have set an example,” he said.
Residents of Gehlour, now renamed Dasarath Nagar, voiced their discontent. “People know him and respect his father’s legacy,” said a youth.