Constituency Watch — Sheohar: NDA goes with Rajput face in Sheohar

Tribune News Service

Aksheev Thakur

Sheohar, May 15

Replacing three-time BJP MP from Sheohar, Rama Devi, the NDA has this time fielded Lovely Anand, the wife of Bihar strongman Anand Mohan Singh, who was convicted in the killing of IAS officer G Krishnaiah.

With the replacement of Devi, a member of the Vaishya community which makes up almost a fourth of the seat’s electorate, voters are miffed with the BJP not only for giving away the seat to the JD(U) but also fielding a Rajput. Devi is a four-time MP and had won her first election from Bihar’s Motihari constituency in 1998 on an RJD ticket.

Sheohar was held by the BJP in 2009, 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. This time, the seat fell into the JD(U) quota under the NDA seat-sharing arrangement, and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar fielded Lovely, eying on the sizable Rajput vote in the constituency.

Anand Mohan has spent 16 years in jail and was released when the Bihar CM tweaked the state prison code to expedite his remission in the Krishnaiah killing case. Lovely Anand had unsuccessfully contested the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Sheohar on SP and Congress tickets, respectively. “Rama Devi was from our community and people knew her. She represented Sheohar thrice and the Vaishya community favours the BJP here. We are traditional BJP voters but this time I am not going to vote for the JD(U),” said Vijay Shaw, a businessman based in Sheohar.

He added: “The BJP made a mistake by ceding the seat to the JD(U) and fielding a non-Vaishya. We have been funding the party for a long time and it did not take the right decision thus time. Moreover, Lovely is a proxy candidate. Anand Mohan will rule the constituency.”

Speaking with The Tribune, Lovely said: “My husband has won twice from Sheohar. There is a considerable representation of Rajputs as well in this constituency. This is an election to choose the Prime Minister. The Modi factor is working and I am sure I will win the election.”

The RJD has fielded a Vaishya, Ritu Jaiswal, from Sheohar. Another businessman, Shiv Agarwal, made his preference for the RJD clear.

He said: “The BJP should know that they cannot win by projecting PM Modi as its face. Most of us have decided to switch to the RJD this time.”

Vaishyas miffed, make 1/4th of electorate

With the replacement of Devi, a member of the Vaishya community that makes up almost one fourth of the electorate in the constituency, voters are miffed with the BJP, not only for giving away the seat to the JD(U) but also for fielding a Rajput.

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