Fourth phase crucial for BJP in Bihar
In 2014 Kirti Azad of the BJP had defeated RJD's four-time MP Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi from the seat by a margin of 34,000 votes.
Patna: After a tough contest in three phases, it appears that NDA and grand alliance are locked in a neck-to-neck contest in the fourth phase in Bihar.
Of the five seats going to polls on April 29, Darbhanga, Begusarai, and Ujiyarpur are crucial for the BJP.
Senior RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui has been pitted against BJP nominee Gopalji Thakur from Darbhanga. Mr Siddiqui, former finance minister of Bihar, hopes to get the support of RJD’s traditional Muslim — Yadav (M-Y), and a sizeable number of OBC and EBC votes.
Besides Mukesh Sahani of the Vikasheel Insan Party also has some influence in Darbhanga which may prove helpful for the grand alliance.
In 2014 Kirti Azad of the BJP had defeated RJD’s four-time MP Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi from the seat by a margin of 34,000 votes.
BJP gave the ticket to local MLA and senior state-level party functionary Gopalji Thakur from Darbhanga after Kirti Azad joined Congress party. Political analysts claim that Darbhanga being a key Mithilanchal seat has a sizeable number of upper caste Brahmin and Bhumihar voters.
Begusarai is also gearing up to see a three-cornered contest on April 29 between CPI’s star candidate Kanhaiya Kumar, firebrand BJP leader, and Union minister Giriraj Singh and RJD’s Tanveer Hassan.
Giriraj Singh was shifted to Begusarai after his Nawada seat went to Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP under the seat-sharing formula in the NDA. Mr Singh was earlier reluctant to contest from the seat but after BJP leaders including party chief, Amit Shah intervened he accepted the offer.
While all the three candidates are being seen as strong contenders, political analysts do not rule out the possibility of a split in votes as two political heavyweights – Kanhaiya Kumar and Giriraj Singh belonging to the same caste (Bhumihar) are locked in a do or die battle.
As per an assessment, there are about 4 lakh Bhumihar voters in Begusarai followed by 2.5 lakh Muslim voters. Bhumihar is a dominant community in the constituency.
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