RJD chief lalu Prasad himself is not contesting the poll but he is the only candidate appearing to be toiling hard in the Yadav dominated Patliputra Parliamentary constituency — for his eldest daughter Misa Bharti to win the seat. All the three major contestants, somehow, have had a long family association with him and so it is a battle of prestige for all of them. Misa Bharti, making her political debut from this constituency, is pitched against her two ‘uncles’ — Ram Kripal Yadav from the BJP and Ranjan Prasad Yadav of JD(U).
In 2009 lok Sabha polls, Ranjan Yadav riding high on Nitish Kumar’s popularity wave, had defeated his old time friend-turned-foe lalu Prasad from Patliputra constituency by a thin margin of votes.
However, this time the political situation has changed with lalu Prasad contesting poll in alliance with the Congress Party and Nitish Kumar’s charisma is missing from the battle field. Even lalu’s long time ‘Hanuman’ — Ram Kripal Yadav has deserted his camp to pose a challenge to him on a BJP ticket. Ram Kripal Yadav has been popularly accessible by Patliputra voters for many years and that has been a big electoral dividend for the BJP candidate. All this has apparently forced lalu Prasad to pull all stops for her daughter Misa Bharti’s win in this prestigious battle of Patliputra.
leaving nothing to chance, lalu Prasad has been making whirlwind rounds of Patliputra to ensure victory for her daughter Misa. Till date, lalu has addressed over 20 public meetings in the constituency with three impressive roadshows. Party sources said that the RJD chief has covered almost all the blocks of the constituency with special focus on Yadav dominated Maner, Bihta and Danapur blocks where he has campaigned more than twice.
Even on Saturday, soon after his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi’s nomination at Chhapra, lalu flew back to Maner and Danapur in Patliputra to address public meetings. While introducing his daughter Misa Bharti to the voters, lalu said, “Yeh lalu ki beti nahi hai, yeh aandolan ki beti hai (she is not lalu’s daughter but she is daughter of a movement). Misa was named after the draconian law Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) under which lalu was jailed during Emergency. lalu also reminded the voters that she was named Misa by no one else than Jayprakash Narayan.
Misa is also married in Patliputra constituency and lalu also asked for votes for the bahu of their constituency.“If she wins your bahu will take on women leaders like Sushma Swaraj and Uma Bharti in the Parliament”, he appeals to voters.The all-out effort of lalu Prasad to win this seat for her daughter became apparent when recently he took her daughter to father of a notorious criminal of the area, Ritlal Yadav, to seek his blessings. Earlier, the jailed criminal too had announced to contest the from the seat but after three days of desperate work-out lalu Prasad finally managed to
convince him to withdraw from the ring in lieu of an Assembly seat to one of his family members from Danapur.Besides, Misa Bharti along with her engineer husband Shailesh Kumar, is leaving no stone unturned to ensure her smooth passage to the corridors of the Parliament. Braving the prickly summer heat and hot winds she is campaigning hard on the dusty lanes of Patliputra. She interacts with the voters boldly but refrains from attacking both her rival chachas (uncles).
“Both have been my chachas for a long time and close to family… though we’re contesting against each other but they would remain my chacha,” she responded like a mature politician.For Ram Kripal Yadav, the difficulty is that he has to inform his voters that he was contesting on a BJP ticket and no longer with lalu Prasad. Ram Kripal Yadav has been with lalu Prasad and his family for the last 34 years and had become the most trusted lieutenant of lalu among their voters and caste men.
“The people say they would only vote for me but I’ve to constantly remind them to press Kamal chhap (lotus button) this time to ensure my victory, not lalten (lantern, RJD election symbol),” he said.Ram Kripal too is braving scorching sun and dusty winds to reach out to his voters in remote villages in riverine areas of the constituency. He is also focussing on Bikram and Masaurhi areas where non-Yadav votes are concentrated in large numbers.
Recently, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had addressed a public rally at Bikram and appealed voters for Ram Kripal Yadav’s win. It was possibly the first ever block level meeting of Narendra Modi to woo upper caste voters for the party candidate. Upper caste Bhumihars and OBC Kurmi votes are concentrated in Bikarm and Masauri areas of Patliputra.
“Though, a large number of Yadavs are still with lalu but Ram Kripal too would get support for his long and easy association with us”, said Rambriksha Yadav of Maner and seemingly that is what making lalu Prasad nervous, he added.
Since, Patliputra is an adjacent constituency of Patna Sahib, largely the urban voters, the NaMo factor too seemed to working for BJP candidate Ram Kripal Yadav.“Yes, its all NaMo wave reeling here, especially among the upper caste which will eventually make smooth passage for Ram Kripal Yadav,” said Ajay Singh of Bihta.Though, an upper caste candidate Indu Bhusan Singh who is son of former Ranvir Sena upper caste private militia, chief Barmeshwar Mukhia too is in the race but locals said he was a dummy candidate by lalu Prasad to cut upper caste for the BJP nominee.
Another interesting fact is the fast polarisation of Muslim votes against Narendra Modi which would be going in bulk for lalu Prasad. “This is an election to stop Narendra Modi at the centre and lalu in alliance with Congress could do that. The issue is larger in this poll”, said Sahukat Ali of Phulwarie-sharief area.
“Ram Kripal Yadav, though, is a good candidate but now he is in wrong party with wrong leader. He should not have fought the poll on BJP ticket.”, was the common sentiment of Muslims in the area.If Yadav’s and Muslims rally behind lalu Prasad noone could stop Misa Bharti to enter into Parliament this time but a dent into Yadav votebank and NaMo wave could also tilt the battle in favour of BJP candidate Ram Kripal Yadav, said a local political observer.
Patliputra constituency goes to poll on April 17.