The Siwan Lok Sabha constituency, which goes to polls in the sixth phase on May 12, is set for a proxy battle between two strongmen, former RJD MP Mohammed Shahabuddin and Ajay Singh, both of whom have fielded their respective wives for the seat.
Shahabuddin’s wife Hina Sahab (46) is in the fray on an RJD ticket while Singh’s wife Kavita Singh (33) has been fielded by the JD-U.
While Kavita Kumari, an MLA, is fighting her first Lok Sabha election, Hina is in the fray for a third time, having lost from Siwan in 2009 and 2014 parliamentary polls.
Hina was thrust into politics in 2009 after her husband, currently lodged in Tihar jail, was barred from contesting polls due to his conviction in a murder case in 2007. When she first made her first public appearance at an election meeting in Siwan town, sharing stage with RJD chief Lalu Prasad, she had preferred to come with her face covered with a veil. No more.
A graduate from Bhim Rao Ambedhkar university, Muzaffarpur, she seems much more at home now with the heat and dust of electoral politics.
On the other hand, there is nothing accidental about the political plunge of her rival Kavita Singh, JD-U MLA from Daraundha who is a post graduate from J P M College, Chapra.
As locals say, Ajay Singh married Kavita in 2011, weeks before the election in Daraundha assembly constituency with the sole objective of fielding her from the seat, which was held by Singh’s mother Jagmato Devi.
In fact, Singh had put advertisements in newspapers seeking applications from prospective brides, putting in clauses like the applicant should have a voter I-card, should be at least 25 years old and belong to a political family. After their marriage, the JD(U) gave ticket to Kavita who was selected by Ajay Singh from among 16 other applicants to be his wife. Kavita won the seat in 2011 and was re-elected in 2015 assembly elections.
Evidently, the poll battle in the constituency has turned interesting with two wives of strongmen in the fray with indications that the voting would be more on religious and caste lines in the straight contest between RJD and JD(U) nominess.
Besides the two, CPI-ML(Liberation) is also in the reckoning, having fielded its veteran Amarnath Yadav. The party has always remained a “third factor” in Siwan.
“It’s a tough contest and vote division would be decisive,” says Krishna Kumar, a resident of Siwan and a voter.
First Published: May 08, 2019 16:35 IST
