SITAMARHI: Bihar’s women power has been a subject of animated discussion during the assembly election campaign, but the Parihar assembly constituency in Sitamarhi district stands out as three women are in the fray.
It’s a contest among three influential women in the constituency, close to Maa Janki temple near Punaruadham, which caught nation’s attention after Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation for renovation of the temple at `800 crore.
The seat is now held by BJP MLA Gayatri Devi, who is seeking re-election to make a hat-trick. She defeated Ritu Jaiswal of the RJD by a margin of about 2000 votes in 2020 polls.
In 2010, Gayantri’s husband Ram Naresh Yadav had won from Parihar that came into existence after delimitation in 2008. In 2015, Gayatri as a BJP nominee defeated Ram Chandra Purbe, then RJD state chief. In 2020, she retained the seat.
Ritu Jaiswal, RJD women’s wing state president, is contesting as a rebel (Independent) as the party denied her ticket and fielded Smita Purbe, daughter in-law of Ram Chandra Purbe, from the seat. Rita had unsuccessfully contested 2019 Lok Sabha election from Sheohar.
“I decided to contest the election on the demand of my supporters and residents, who give me love and affection. How can I forget their fight for me in the previous assembly election which I lost by a slender margin,” she told this reporter during her campaign.
Smita is trying to restore her father-in-law’s legacy who represented neighbouring Sonbarsa many times. She is mainly relying on RJD’s traditional MY (Yadav-Muslim support base) combination. Both Smita and Ritu belong to Vaishya community with a sizable population in the constituency.
Gayatri, a Yadav, has put RJD’s Yadav voters in a fix. “I have supporters among Yadavs who will vote for me,” she said, adding that the fight between Ritu and Smita has brightened her victory chances. Ritu started her political journey as a Singjvahini panchayat chief after quitting her job in Delhi. Married to a civil servant, she chose to stay in village.
Muslim voters are by and large in favour of RJD’s Smita. “Had RJD fielded Ritu Jaiswal, she would have won,” said Mohammad Javed of Indarba village. Migration, unemployment, and floods are key issues. “Roads are in good condition, electricity is available 24x7 and there a Kendriya Vidyalaya. But lack of job and job opportunities are the major problems here,” said RBP Sinha, a retired engineer of Sithihara village.