Since the emergence of Chandra Shekhar as ‘Yuva Turk’ after Emergency in 1970s, flood-prone Ballia, surrounded by three big rivers and adjacent to Bihar on two sides, has become the stronghold of the socialists, as it is also the land of great ‘JP’ (Jaiprakash Narayan) who hailed from Sitabdiyara, second biggest village of the country and parts of it is also fallen in adjoining Saran (Chapra) district of Bihar.
Though it was also Janambhoomi of ‘Chote lohia’ Janeshwar Mishra, it rarely remained his ‘karmbhoomi’ as till his death, former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar had ruled the roost, though Samajvadi Party (SP) had strengthened its organisation there. During his last years when the party led by Chandra Shekhar was weakened a lot, thanks to Mulayam Singh Yadav, the SP had always left Ballia parliamentary seat for Chandra Shekhar without fielding its candidates.
In many areas of Ballia, Bihar leaders have also played some influential roles as the majority of villages have ‘roti-beti ka sambandh’ (family relations) as huge number of girls of Bihar districts are married in Ballia.
In last Assembly elections in 2012, the district had seen the domination of SP claiming five out of seven seats while the two were shared by BJP and BSP. Since then the political tracks have seen a lot of ups and downs.
Out of three Ballia men who got berths in the Akhilesh Ministry, two have rebelled recently and both Ambika Chaudhary and Narad Rai are now contesting as BSP candidates from Phephana and Ballia Sadar while veteran leader Ram Govind Chaudhary, former close associate of Chandra Shekhar, is contesting from Bansdih.
Once Ambika Chaudhary was known as very faithful to Mulayam and it was the reason why even after losing poll in 2012 from Phephna by BJP’s Upendra Tiwari, he was inducted as a Cabinet Minister in the Akhilesh Government.
Now, the rebel from a section of Yadavs led by Ambika and Bhumihars by Narad Rai has made the roads rocky one for cycle ride. Besides, it was Ballia where on May 1 last year Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed a big rally launching Ujjwala Yojna. In last lok Sabha polls like other parts, Ballia also saw Modi wave and in that wave, Bharat Singh who lost Assembly polls from Bairia in 2012 won Ballia parliamentary seat comfortably, defeating Chandra Shekhar’s son Niraj Shekhar. This time, SP is strongly challenged from both BJP and BSP. While BJP is fighting on a changed track with enthusiast supporters, BSP has strengthened with the joining of SP’s heavyweight rebels.
Even joining the BSP’s strong grass-root votes, the tasks for both rebels Ambika Chaudhary and Narad Rai are not easy as Ambika is facing stiff challenges from sitting MlA Upendra Tiwari of BJP and Sangram Singh Yadav of SP in Phephna. Advantage for BJP is division of Yadavs. In Ballia, Narad Rai is also facing tough challenge from Anand Swaroop Shukla of BJP and laxman Gupta of SP.
In city area, BJP always enjoys an edge but the difficulty of Shukla is presence of a candidate from Baniya (business community) from the SP. The BJP is also very hopeful that its former MlA and ex-BHU students union leader Ram Iqbal Singh from Rasra seat but his contest would not easy as sitting MlA Uma Shankar Singh of the BSP is very strong who was always seen active in conducting big group marriages and organising pilgrim trips for local people from his own. To take advantage of the fight between two Rajputs, the SP has fielded a Brahmin Sanathan Pandey in view to do better this time.
In Sikandarpur, SP has retained its sitting MlA Jiauddin Rizvi while BJP by fielding Sanjay Yadav has trying to dent in SP’s vote-bank and win the seat with the support of its upper caste votes.
The BSP is defending on its own vote bank fielding Rajnarain while in Bhairia seat which is most flood-prone area separated by Manjhi bridge from Bihar, the SP has also retained its sitting MlA Jai Prakash Anchal but this time the fight is not a cakewalk.
last time, Jai Prakash defeated even Bharat Singh (now MP) getting sympathy wave as his father and popular leader Sarda Prasad Anchal died. There is no doubt that Anchal would receive full support from his own caste people, Yadavs but in changed atmosphere, the BJP is again hoping to regain the seat fielding a Rajput candidate Surendra Singh as this upper caste people are in sizeable strength there and both would be locked in triangular contest with Jawahar Prasad.
In Basdih, Ram Govind Chaudhary is facing challenges from BSP candidate from OBC sub-caste Chauhan (Shiv Shankar Chauhan), and this sub-caste has sizeable population in many constituencies in Ballia, adjoining Mau and other districts. Besides, he has also a difficult time as SP rebel Niraj Singh Guddu is contesting as lokdal candidate. His all gains would damage the SP’s prospects. The advantage of BJP is the joining of the party by former BSP MP Dara Singh Chauhan. But the BJP has left the seat for its alliance partner Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) which has fielded Arvind Rajbhar but in protest against the same a popular leader and rebel BJP’s candidate Ketki Singh is contesting as an independent. Whether she wins or not but she would, definitely, seal the faith of SBSP led by Om Prakash Rajbhar who is trying since long in this belt to open its account.
In Belthra Road (SC), which is adjacent to Deoria and it is birth place of former Prime Minister late Chandra Shekhar, the SP is hopeful of retaining seat with sitting MlA Gorakh Paswan who is facing contest from Ghandhyam Kanojiya of BJP and Ghoor Ram of BSP.