This story is from January 28, 2016

Harlakhi may witness direct fight between NDA, Grand Alliance candidates

With rebel RJD leader Ramashish Yadav, who had queered the pitch for Grand Alliance (GA) candidate Mohd Shabbir in the 2015 assembly polls by fetching 21,670 votes as an independent, opting out of the fray this time, Harlakhi assembly constituency seems set to witness a direct contest between the NDA and GA in the bypoll to be held on February 13.
Harlakhi may witness direct fight between NDA, Grand Alliance candidates
PATNA: With rebel RJD leader Ramashish Yadav, who had queered the pitch for Grand Alliance (GA) candidate Mohd Shabbir in the 2015 assembly polls by fetching 21,670 votes as an independent, opting out of the fray this time, Harlakhi assembly constituency seems set to witness a direct contest between the NDA and GA in the bypoll to be held on February 13.

The byelection was necessitated after Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) winner Basant Kumar died following a heart attack on November 30 last year, just a day before he was scheduled to take oath along with other newly elected legislators.
The RLSP, a constituent of NDA, has this time fielded late Basant’s son Sudhanshu Shekhar apparently in an attempt to get sympathy votes while the Congress has repeated Shabbir who had lost the November 2015 polls to Basant by a margin of 3,892 votes. Basant, who contested as the NDA nominee, had got 40,468 votes while Shabbir, who was the GA’s official candidate, got 36,576 votes. CPI’s Ram Naresh Pandey finished third, bagging 22,709 votes while RJD rebel Ramashish had finished fourth.
Political observers say Ramashish, who was MLA from neighbouring Benipatti assembly seat from 2000 to 2005, had mainly got votes of his Yadav community in 2015, thus playing spoilsport for the GA nominee who was banking on the Muslim-Yadav vote bank.
“Since Ramashish is not in the fray, majority of 15% Yadav votes in the constituency would go to the Congress candidate,” state Congress spokesperson Harkhu Jha hoped on Thursday.
Harkhu along with AICC general secretary Shakeel Ahmad and Bihar minister Madan Mohan Jha was present in Benipatti at the time of filing of nomination by Shabbir on Wednesday. He said all senior RJD leaders of Madhubani district, specially those belonging to Yadav community, while addressing a meeting at Benippati before the filing of nomination, have assured the Congress that Yadav voters would not make a November-like ‘error of judgment’ and would vote for the GA candidate in the byelection.

“From the RJD side, several senior leaders including former minister Raj Kumar Mahaseth and MLAs Sitaram Yadav and Faiyaz Ahmad were present at the time of nomination by Shabbir. This shows the RJD this time is serious about checking the split of votes of RJD boss Lalu Prasad’s followers,” Harkhu said. CPI’s Pandey, who represented the seat three times (1995, Feb 2005 and Nov 2005), has once again thrown his hat in the ring. He is hopeful of getting a chunk of upper caste votes besides the Left parties’ cadre votes.
Meanwhile, nomination papers of all the nine candidates were found valid during scrutiny on Thursday. Other prominent candidates who are in the fray are Anita Devi (JAP-L), Bhagirath Jha (Sarvajan Kalyan Loktantrik Party) and Madan Chandra Jha (independent). Madan Chandra had secured 5,085 votes in 2015 polls.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA