In the run-up to the Maharajganj lok Sabha by-election, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is trying hard to consolidate upper caste votes to register a convincing victory in the crucial election and further improve its political strength before the 2014 lok Sabha elections.
The by-election to Maharajganj lok Sabha which is scheduled on June 2, was necessitated following the death of sitting RJD MP Umashankar Singh.
Considered as a litmus test for both the JD(U) and the RJD, Maharajganj parliamentary constituency is primarily dominated by two upper castes, Rajputs and Bhumihars.
The Maharajganj parliamentary constituency, which comprises six Assembly constituencies, three of them are dominated by Rajputs.
So when senior lJP leader Shailendra Pratap Singh was inducted into the JD(U) on Friday, it was immediately construed as the JD(U)’s concerted efforts to improve the share of Rajput votes in the bypoll.
The RJD candidate, Prabhunath Singh, belonging to Rajput caste is considered as the formidable choice among voters belonging to this caste but Shailendra Pratap Singh also holds some influence over a segment of Rajput voters and hence his entry into the JD(U) might help the party candidate and Education Minister PK Shahi brighten his electoral prospects.
Nitish Kumar has buried his hatchet with another influential leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias lalan Singh two days ago to consolidate his position among Bhumihar castes and his services will also be utilised in the bypoll.
Members of Bhumihar caste are particularly perturbed over the killing of the chief of private army of landlords Ranvir Sena, Brahmeshwar Mukhiya on June 1 last year. His brutal murder had sparked wide protests by Bhumihar youth who indulged in unruly activities during the funeral procession of Brahmeshwar Mukhiya in Patna next day.
RJD chief lalu Prasad also made a specific mention about Brahmeshwar Mukhiya’s murder at his “Parivartan Rally’ in Patna recently.
“Brahmeshwar Mukhiya was safe under my rule but he was killed under the Nitish Kumar regime,” he remarked while trying to striking a chord with the upper castes.
The son of Brahmeshwar Mukhiya, Indu Bhushan will also reportedly campaign in Maharjganj lok Sabha constituency, raising the issue of the alleged delay in punishing those involved in the murder of his father.
PK Shahi who himself belongs to Bhumihar caste is a prominent upper caste face of Nitish Kumar’s “social engineering” formula but a Government, carrying a general perception that it cares more about Mahadalits, Dalits, EBCs and OBCs, wants to get out of its image and it does not find anything wrong in giving prominent places to more upper caste leaders in the party.
Shailendra Pratap Singh has a close association with Kumar since the Samata Party days and they were in contacts with each other even when former was not a member of the JD(U).
The presence of Kumar at a brief ceremony where Shailendra Singh formally joined the JD(U) itself gives an indication how much the Chief Minister is serious about consolidating his position among the upper caste voters prior to the lok Sabha elections.