Darbhanga — the cultural capital of Mithila — has always been an upper caste Brahmin-dominated constituency but significantly after 1990, Brahmins have ceased to be a winning block for their candidates with conspicuous division in their vote bank.
Both the major political parties — the BJP and the JD(U) — though have put Brahmin candidates to eat each other’s vote share while providing fair opportunity to their rival Muslim RJD candidate in ostensibly getting both Muslim and Yadav votes.The BJP candidate and sitting MP Kirti Jha Azad seemingly is facing anti-incumbency feeling reeling into the constituency and he is pinning all his hopes on the Modi wave which has polarised the vote bank of the constituency to a large extent.
Narendra Modi even came to Darbhanga and addressed an impressive rally invoking the rich tradition of Mithila and its electoral past. Among the upper caste Brahmin voters, the Modi effect is visible and people appear to vote for him so that he could “take out the country from all ills gripping the country”.“We all will certainly not vote for Kirti Jha Azad but for Narendra Modi... Mithilanchal is not out of this country and if the Modi wave is reeling across the country how could Darbhanga be untouchedIJ” asked Dr Murlidhar Jha, head of the Maithili department of local MlSM college.
Jha also confessed that the BJP candidate has not done anything for the constituency and if there would not have been Modi he would have lost the election miserably.However, when asked would all the Brahmins of Darbhanga vote for Narendra Modi or it would be divided between the two Brahmin candidatesIJ “A majority of the Brahmin votes would go to the BJP for Modi but yes, some will also vote for the JD(U) candidate because of his personal touch and works been done by him in the constituency,” said Mahavir Jha of Brahmin-dominated Benipur village.
Both Benipur and Alipur Assembly constituencies are Brahmin-dominated but divided in their vote choice.The JD(U) candidate and former BJP MlC Sanjay Jha, had worked a little for the constituency and has been giving personal touches for a long time now. “For many years he has been visiting and meeting people of the constituency while doing some development works on his personal behalf...he is popular in some pockets and will certainly be getting some Brahmin votes in the constituency,” said Prabhas Chandra Mishra.
The JD(U) candidate is also banking on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s development plank to win the race. He is repeatedly pointing towards the four-lane road to Madhubani and Kishanganj and the continuous supply of electricity with improved law and order situation in the State to the voters.But not everyone is impressed with what the JD(U) candidate is pointing out. “We’ll vote for his personal relations and his good works but not for Nitish,” Anil Jha, a young village teacher said. Nitish has all along been catering either to the people belonging to EBC category or the Mahadalits but the Brahmins along with Yadavs were pushed to the margins, he rued further.
Darbhanga lok Sabha constituency has 21 per cent Brahmin vote while 19 per cent Muslim voters. The Yadav voters too are in sizeable number with 15 per cent of the total electorate.“Since 1990 Brahmins have not been voting en-bloc as they consider themselves as an intellectual bloc...so have lost the electoral relevance in Mithilanchal,” explained Hindi professor Dr Amarkant Kunwar of MlSM college, Darbhanga. Earlier Mithilanchal has been the Congress citadel but when Sitaram Keshri became the Congress chief Mithilanchal alienated itself from the party for its internal caste bickering .
The RJD candidate Mohd Ali Ashraf Fatmi has won three lok Sabha polls from Darbhanga and he is in the fray giving tough challenge to both the Brahmin candidates. Fatmi, a heavyweight candidate, is banking on M-Y calculus of party chief lalu Yadav which appeared to be rock solid behind him following the NaMo wave.However, like other constituencies, the Muslims of Darbhanga too have decided to vote for those who could stall Narendra Modi from coming at the Centre.
Mithilanchal has been sending many Chief Ministers as well as influential Ministers in the past but ever since the rise of lalu Prasad in 1990 their vote got divided and party candidates with other caste and community support base started winning poll from here. “We don’t want to waste our single vote this time...we’ll vote for Fatmi saheb as he would strongly oppose Narendra Modi”, said Urdu professor Dr Barkat Ali. Though, the Muslims of the constituency also like Nitish Kumar for “many things” he has done for the community but they would vote for him in the next state assembly elections.
local journalist and Hindi professor in a local college, Krishna Kumar explained that despite all the NaMo wave the BJP could not succeed in getting into strong Yadav vote bank. “The Yadavs may go to NaMo rally but still their first voting preference is lalu Yadav...the BJP has failed to make a dent into them”, he said further. So, if Muslims and Yadavs vote together for the RJD candidate he would be through for the fourth time from this seat, he added.
“We’ve been voting for lalu Yadav and this time it would be vengeance vote against Nitish Kumar from our caste... he pushed us to the margin during his eight years of regime”, declared Anil Kishore Yadav of Yadav dominated Baheri village.Its a contest between RJD and BJP candidates but if the JD-U candidate be able to make a dent in Brahmin and Muslim votes, especially Pasmanda [backward Muslims] he also could be a surprise package, believe many of the Darbhanga voters. Darbhanga goes to poll on April 30.