Folk singer Maithili Thakur has officially taken membership of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Now BJP has fielded Maithili Thakur in the battlefield of Bihar elections. On Wednesday, the party released the second list, in which it has been announced that Maithili will be given ticket from Alinagar.
Earlier, Maithili had expressed her desire to contest elections from one of two seats – Benipatti of Madhuban district or Darbhanga Alinagar assembly seat of the district. BJP had already announced its candidate from Benipatti.
Now questions are being raised that BJP has given ticket to Maithili from Alinagar, but why is the electoral path of the folk singer not easy from that seat?
Actually, Alinagar assembly seat was in the share of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) led by Mukesh Sahni, who was BJP’s alliance partner in the 2020 elections. Mishrilal Yadav contested the elections on VIP ticket and won. Later he joined BJP. A few months before the elections, Mishrilal Yadav had lost his MLAship after being sentenced to two years in prison in an old case.
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BJP needs a new face in Alinagar
On May 27, a Darbhanga court had sentenced Mishrilal Yadav to two years’ imprisonment in an old case of assault. in the month of June only Bihar The Assembly Secretariat had also issued a notification related to the cancellation of Yadav’s membership. After this it was decided that a new face from NDA would contest this seat. The margin of victory in the last election was close, so this time BJP needs a new, strong face to retain this seat and Maithili needs the MLA ticket.
Last time NDA had won in a close fight
In the last Bihar Assembly elections (2020), NDA had won this seat in a tough contest. NDA candidate Mishrilal Yadav got 61 thousand 82 votes from VIP quota. RJD’s Binod Mishra stood second by getting 57 thousand 981 votes. In a tough contest, the NDA candidate won by a close margin of 3101 votes. After this seat went to VIP’s account after seat distribution, BJP had given ticket to Mishrilal saying that Mukesh Sahni did not have a strong candidate.
Abdul Bari Siddiqui has been MLA twice
Talking about the past of Alinagar seat, this seat has been the stronghold of RJD. In the delimitation of 2008, some parts of Meenagachi Assembly seat were merged into Darbhanga Rural Assembly seat and Alinagar seat came into existence with the remaining parts. In 2008, the geography of this seat also changed and along with it the social equations also changed. This area, which was once the seat of powerful Brahmin faces of Congress like Nagendra Jha, Madan Mohan Jha, has emerged as a stronghold of RJD.
Also read: Maithili Thakur lost her hair, how much hope is there in Alinagar
Lalit Kumar Yadav was MLA from Meenagachi seat three times. At that time, RJD’s senior leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui represented Benipur in the Bihar Assembly. As soon as Alinagar seat came into existence after delimitation, seeing the changed equations, Siddiqui moved to this seat and was victorious in the elections of 2010 and 2015.
RJD’s bet in 2020 surprised
In the 2020 elections, RJD played the Brahmin card in Alinagar. The party made Binod Mishra its candidate. To counter RJD’s Brahmin move, NDA played Yadav move. RJD was defeated in a close fight, but the caste equations were turned upside down. Where RJD was successful in making a dent in the core Brahmin vote of BJP. At the same time, NDA candidate also got Yadav votes.
Also read: Maithili Thakur joins BJP, can contest assembly elections from this seat in Bihar
Why is Brahmin face necessary for BJP?
BJP was confident in the 2020 elections that Brahmin voters would not go with RJD. But this did not happen. In Alinagar assembly constituency, the number of voters of both Yadav and Brahmin castes is almost equal. If RJD is able to keep the Yadav vote bank united in its fold and make a dent in the Brahmin vote, then its chances of victory may increase.
BJP is cautious this time after learning from the 2020 elections and can bet on the Brahmin face. Maithili Thakur He is a Brahmin and is popular among people of every section irrespective of caste. BJP also feels that it can get the support of women of every caste and group.
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