‘Shotgun’, Kunal Singh in face-off, doctor, social activist seek win
Patna Sahib constituency had seen its first round of a ‘star war’ when Bollywood star Shatrughan Sinha of BJP and Shekhar Suman from Congress party took each other in 2009 lok Sabha polls. This time also, the constituency is all set to witness another ‘star-war’ but with different comrade fielded by the Congress.
Suman has been replaced by famous Bhojpuri actor Kunal Singh. In the caste-based social milieu of Bihar, it is revelation to see Kunal Singh displaying his full identity on his campaign vehicle as Kunal Singh (Yadav).
BJP candidate and sitting MP Shatrughan Sinha is famously known in the constituency as Shotgun Sinha who always misfires by his ‘disappearing act’ and the Congress candidate Kunal Singh as ‘the Amitabh Bachchan of Bhojpuri cinema’. He has acted in 136 Bhojpuri films and son of Buddhadev Singh Yadav, who was a Minister in the Congress Government in the State-led by Dr Jagannath Mishra.
When both the cinematic icons are fighting pitched battle for their space in Patna Sahib electoral landscape, two others have also entered into the fray with their own distinct identity and spirit. Dr Gopal Prasad Sinha, better known as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s physician is a JD(U) candidate whereas the fiery social activist, Praveen Amanullah, who recently had resigned from being a Minister in Nitish Cabinet to contest the poll as an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nominee-are sweating hard in the sultry heat on Patna streets inviting significant attention.
BJP candidate Shotgun Sinha appeared to be riding high on his cinematic avatar and on NaMo wave in the constituency while the voters have been accusing him for his disappearing act all through the five years. “Once he wins the poll he just vanishes enjoying elite life of tinsel town and Delhi…he must make us believe why we should vote for him except his win means a NaMo win,” asks Rajesh Kumar of Kankerbagh.
A businessman, Kumar, further adds that if Sinha has not been a BJP candidate for NaMo, he would have lost his deposit this time. “Yeh to NaMo ko log vote de rahe hain, candidates ko nahi …nahi to Shotgun Sinha total flop hi the is baar,” he said.
Shatrughan Sinha, however, has been explaining to voters that he has been visiting the State capital, Patna four times in a month, you can check this fact from the local Kadam Kuan police station…I’ve been in regular touch with my constituency”, he claimed.
But, his voters appeared not convinced. “He may have been coming and going. He never came to us. Can he count even a single work he has done for the constituencyIJ” asked Anil Kumar of BJP. “He wins only as a BJP candidate…and, in his place anyone can win this seat on BJP ticket…but as a candidate he is our last choice,” lawyer Sudhir Sharma pitched in.
Sinha, meanwhile, has cleared that his daughter and Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha would not be coming for his campaign as ‘the crowd would go berserk’. “A single star is enough here…Sonakshi is a darling daughter and busy in her films”, he said.
Earlier, Shotgun Sinha had shot into limelight when he had met and praised Nitish Kumar and Rabri Devi when lalu Prasad was in Ranchi jail in connection with a fodder scam case. later, after lot of hitch and delay, Shotgun Sinha finally was re-nominated for the ticket from Patna Sahib. Sources in the party said that some of the party leaders were not in favour to field Shatrughan Sinha again because of his “unpopularity in the constituency”.
However, Kunal Singh ‘Yadav’ as a debutant Congress candidate rides on his caste support and the alliance of the Congress and the RJD which was missing in 2009 lok Sabha poll. He too is campaigning hard in the rising summer heat while displaying his star persona. Wearing dark branded glass and smart trousers and sleeves, he holds public meeting at every thoroughfare while wiping sweats from his forehead.
“Inka pasina chut raha hai campaign mein…tough ho gaya hai chunav, “said Vijay Sinha, a doctor of Mithapur area.
“It is a classic fight between a prince and the pauper. Shatrughanji is the prince and I am the pauper,” says Kunal Singh Yadav. His actor-turned-director wife Aarti Bhattacharya, a Bengali film icon who has moved to Bollywood, is set to join his campaign soon.
Similar is workout of JD(U) candidate Dr Gopal Prasad Sinha and AAP candidate Praveen Amanullah. They too are hitting every lane of the constituency to invite attention from the voters. The AAP follower wearing the trademark cap, though, appears to a new trend for the voters of the constituency.
“It has brought freshness in poll this time. The candidate is good but the chances in the lok Sabha for her is bleak…it’s too early for the AAP to gain any political mileage in this Parliamentary poll”, quipped Sanjay Kumar, a Government employee.
Parveen, daughter of Syed Shahabuddin had filed a record 600 RTI applications to shake up the system, significantly, is the only woman candidate in the fray. Patna Sahib is considered safe for the BJP, especially, for it’s numerically dominant and highly educated, urbane Kayasth population which have been loyal to the party. Being a Kayasth, Shotgun Sinha hopes to fight the palpable anti-incumbency against him. Patna Sahib goes to poll in the fifth phase (second installment in Bihar) of poll on April 17.