Bihar assembly election 2020: Political heirs in race for tickets - Hindustan Times
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Bihar assembly election 2020: Political heirs in race for tickets

Hindustan Times, Patna | By
Sep 28, 2020 01:20 PM IST

The children of some state chiefs of mainstream political parties are also in the race for tickets.

Political heirs of prominent leaders are again in race for tickets in the forthcoming assembly elections in Bihar.

BJP ticket seekers and supporters gather around Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi's car, outside party office in Patna.(Santosh Kumar/HT PHOTO)
BJP ticket seekers and supporters gather around Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi's car, outside party office in Patna.(Santosh Kumar/HT PHOTO)

While RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan’s son Chirag Paswan have been given the baton to lead their respective parties, there are many others cutting across party lines eager to try their luck in the rough and tumble of politics.

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The growing ambition of senior leaders to pass on the baton to the next generation in the family is likely to make seat-sharing formula tougher given that the major alliances are still grappling with it even three days before the start of the nominations for the first stage of the election.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections also, many political heirs had tried their luck, though all could not end up on the winning side. In the assembly election, the list is likely to get longer. The wards of some state chiefs of mainstream political parties are also in the race.

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There is speculation about Congress chief Madan Mohan Jha wanting his son Madhav Jha to contest this time from Benipur seat in Darbhanga to pass on the baton to the third generation. Madan Mohan Jha is the son of veteran Congress leader late Nagendra Jha. The Congress is already locked in a tough bargain for seats with the RJD this time.

RJD’s Bihar unit chief Jagdanand Singh’s son Sudhakar Singh, too, is set to try his luck possibly from Ramgarh constituency. Sudhakar had contested on the BJP ticket in 2010 and lost. Jagdanand was then not happy with his son’s decision. This time, he is set to contest on the RJD ticket. He also reportedly met RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

JD-U state president Vashishta Narayan Singh is said to be also interested in his son Sonu Singh contesting, though it is not certain from where.

Former Bihar CM late Daroga Prasad Rai’s son Chandrika Rai lost in the Lok Sabha election from Saran on the RJD ticket, but has now switched over to the JD-U. Though ticket distribution has not yet commenced, he is tipped to retain his Parsa assembly seat. He has won the Parsa seat four times.

Union minister Aswhini Kumar Choubey’s son Arjit Shashwat had lost from Bhagalpur in the 2015 Assembly election when the Grand Alliance (GA) had stopped the BJP, but he is again in contention. Former union minister and BJP leader Ram Kripal Yadav is said to be also keen on his son Abhimanyu getting a ticket this time.

BJP MP from Sasaram Chhedi Paswan is also said to be interested in his son Ravishankar Paswan getting the opportunity from either Chenari or Mohania constituency. Chhedi Paswan had represented both seats in the past. He had tried for a ticket for his son in 2015, but when BJP denied it, Ravishankar fought on a Samajwadi Party ticket and lost. Chhedi Paswan hopes to be lucky this time and his son has been quite active in the party activities.

“There are quite a few other sitting and former MPs and MLAs, who want tickets for their wards, but it boils down to capabilities and commitment in the BJP. Being a ward is no guarantee of ticket in the BJP, but at the same time it is also not a handicap for those who have proved themselves,” said a senior BJP leader, who did not want to be named.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Akhilesh Singh’s son Akash Kumar Singh had made his electoral debut on a Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) ticket from East Champaran Lok Sabha seat but lost. He is again interested in fielding him in the assembly election.

Former Cong MLA Vijay Shankar Dubey wants his son Satyam, an engineer to contest from Raaghunathpur seat in Siwan. Vijay Shankar Dubey represented Raghunathpur twice in the past. Six-time Congress leader Late Ram Deo Rai’s son Shiv Prakash Garib Das is also trying for Bachhwara seat. Ram Deo Rai had won the seat in 2015.

Congress leader Sadanand Singh’s Subhanand is also tipped from Kahalgaon seat. Sadanand Singh has won the seat nine times and he wants to pass on the baton to his son.

Former Bihar Congress chief Ashok Kumar’s son Atirek Kumar is also a contender from Rosera assembly seat. Ashok Kumar represented the seat six times. If Atirket gets the ticket, it will be third generation in politics and also in the Congress. Ashok Kumar’s father Baleshwar Ram was a former MP from Rosera.

Former director of AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies DM Diwakar said that the trend was quite stark, as politics was now being more as a career than social service.

“Everyone wants to see their wards settled. Even one term is enough to ensure a life-long pension, while those who work hard to cash in on the opportunity have the prospect of going up the ladder. But this will only create heartburns for the committed workers,” he added.

Watch an interesting conversation with Indian politician & former Union Minister of State, Milind Deora. HT’s senior journalist Kumkum Chadha talks to him about his life in politics & beyond. Watch Now!
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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Arun Kumar is Senior Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times. He has spent two-and-half decades covering Bihar, including politics, educational and social issues.

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