Unfazed by Citizenship Amendment Act, Kishanganj voters want employment
Aksheev Thakur
New Delhi, April 21
Unfazed by the Central government’s announcement of the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), lack of employment opportunities, price rise and migration are the major woes of voters in Bihar’s Kishanganj Lok Sabha constituency which shares its border with Nepal and is close to the Indo-Bangladesh border.
Last poll result
- In 2019, Mohammad Jawaid of Congress won the seat; the party has fielded him again
- JD(U) has fielded Muzahid Alam & AIMIM Akhtarul Iman
Kishanganj has more than 18 lakh voters and is one of the poorest districts in Bihar with a per capita income of Rs 23,000 as per the economic survey of 2022.
At 57.04%, illiteracy in Kishanganj still stands far below the national average of 77.7%
In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress retained Kishanganj, the lone seat won by the RJD-led alliance in Bihar. The constituency will witness a contest among sitting Congress MP Mohammed Jawaid, Muzahid Alam of the JD(U) and Akhtarul Iman, AIMIM’s state president.
Bilal Ahmad works at a grocery store. For him getting two square meals a day for his family is a challenge. “Our concern here is lack of employment opportunities. Even the basic commodities like pulses, jeera and vegetables are unaffordable for people who earn Rs 5,000 monthly like me. The CAA is not our concern. We are least bothered about the politics being played. What we need is employment,” he said.
The constituency goes to polls on April 26.
