CHAPRA/HAJIPUR : The battle for Saran, politically famous as the ‘karmbhoomi’ of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad and Hajipur, known for getting Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records with the world’s largest winning margin, won’t be a cakewalk for any of the parties in fray this time. Commercial pilot-turned politician Rajiv Pratap Rudy, the sitting BJP MP, is pitted against RJD’s Chandrika Rai, son of late former Bihar CM Daroga Prasad Rai.
Rai, a five-time MLA from the Yadav-dominated Parsa assembly segment of Saran, recently got his daughter Aishwariya Rai married to Lalu’s elder son Tej Pratap Yadav. While Vijay Kumar Singh and Radha Mohan Ojha of Saran call sitting MP Rudy a hard-working politician, they reckon he doesn’t score high on popularity stakes. However, Singh said, “Performance-wise, he is better than Chandrika Rai. His work to implement the Namami Gange Project and the cementing of ghats at Sonepur is noteworthy.”
Arjun Rai of Amnour, Rudy’s native village, does not agree, saying, “Rai has never lost an assembly election from Parsa and inherits the qualities of a good politician from his father.”Rudy, who holds a Masters degree in economics from Punjab University, acquired a commercial pilot’s license after schooling from Patna’s Saint Michael School. Rai is a gold medallist in MA in history from Patna University. He did his schooling at Saint Xavier’s in Patna. “Both have maintained cordial relations despite being in parties that are polar opposites when it comes to ideology,” Abhay Kumar, an LIC development officer, said.
Shanker Singh, retired PHED engineer, said both Rai and Rudy became MLAs at a young age — 27 and 28 — and have seen the world. Rudy believes the sheer performance of the Modi government, coupled with a heightened sense of nationalism currently dominating the public mood, would take the BJP to a comfortable win in the general elections. However, Rai said Rudy is just peddling his brand of politics as he has to. “A strong anti-incumbency wave and the failure of PM Modi to live up to expectations and fulfill promises he made to the people in the run-up to the 2014 polls, will pull the NDA down,” Rai said.
Many, like Naresh Kumar Rai of Sheetalpur, Ran Sunder Paswan of Daniyaba, Rekha Devi of Parsa, Mohammad Asif of Chapra and Anshuman Singh of Garkha said the LS poll won’t be a cakewalk for either candidate this time.“While division in Yadav-Muslim communities is impossible, votes of Rajput and other castes could split. NDA leaders are leaving no stone unturned to keep their supporters united. Performance-wise, Rudy is not on solid ground this time as he was earlier. However, experience-wise, Rai falls far short of Rudy,” Sudama Kumar, a teacher at Dighwara, said.
Neighbouring Hajipur LS constituency in Vaishali district presents a similar picture. “The candidates in the fray have no merit and are seeking votes on the basis of work done either by their leaders or on caste,” said Manoj Kumar of Sarai. Hajipur is considered LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan’s pocket borough. For his brother Pashupati Paras, who is the NDA candidate this time, it’s a tightrope walk. “What has he done for us? He has never been here, neither is the Ram Vilas,” said Ramchandra Das, a SC youth. He said, RJD candidate Shivchandra Ram is campaigning for Paras to be shown the door, as he is an outsider.
“Ram Vilas Paswan has been 8 –time MP from Hajipur and is credited with setting up a Railway Zone headquarters, the NIPER, the BSNL office, FCI office and a passport office in the area, among many other achievements. However, he is not contesting this time. Whatever votes he gets would be in Paswan’s name,” said Umesh Singh of Bhagwanpur. The Hajipur constituency is dominated by Bhumihar and Yadav voters, followed by those belonging to Rajput and SC voters. The political prestige of Paswan is at stake, which is why his son Chirag Paswan and NDA leaders, including CM Nitish Kumar are campaigning vigorously for him,” said Satynarayan Rai of RJD.
Shivchandra Rai, an MLA from Rajapakar, has nothing to his credit and will largely rely on caste and Lalu’s vote bank for an upset win.“We feel it’s better to vote for Narendra Modi and development,” said Niraj Sharma of Belkunda. Vinod Yadav of Mahua echoed his sentiment.
A farmer rued, “No leader has done anything. The banana research centre is defunct now and the agriculture research centre opened at Goraul serves no purpose.”Making an emotional pitch for Paras at Mahua, Paswan said, “I am in the contest through Paras. Hajipur is like my mother and it’s the same for him. Paras’s victory will be the victory of Narendra Modi and me.”