Patna: Begusarai constituency in north Bihar has seen BJP flag flying high in the last two Lok Sabha elections but this time CPI is hopeful of wresting the seat from the saffron party in view of the sitting MP and Union minister Giriraj Singh facing anti-incumbency and other factors.
The Leningrad Of Bihar
Begusarai has long been known as the 'Leningrad of Bihar' or as 'Mini Moscow' due to the emergence of CPI as a formidable force in the region to counter the feudalism allegedly practised by Congress for decades. Begusarai was once considered the most industrialised area of the state. Rashtra Kavi Ramdhari Singh Dinkar was also born in Simiaria in Begusarai district.
PAST PERFECT
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In the 2019 election which witnessed a triangular contest, BJP candidate Giriraj defeated CPI candidate and former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) Kanhaiya Kumar. While Giriraj secured nearly seven lakh votes, Kanhaiya contesting the election on a CPI ticket got 2.70 lakh votes, and RJD candidate Tanweer Hassan had to contend with 1.98 lakh votes.
Giriraj's vote share was 56.48% against Kanhaiya's 22.03%. BJP candidate Bhola Singh defeated RJD candidate Tanveer Hassan in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
THE USP
BJP has fielded its firebrand leader Giriraj, known for his hard stand on Hindutva, from Begusarai. His comments on Hindutva and Hindu religion resonate across the country. Begusarai politics mainly revolves around the politically dominant 'Bhumihar' caste; barring once, every time, only a Bhumihar candidate has won the seat. Congress won the Begusarai seat nine times, and JDU and BJP twice each. In 1967, CPI won from here when its candidate Y Sharma defeated Congress leader MP Mishra.
DECODING THE FIGHT
BJP is trying hard to make the contest Modi-centric even as CPI is raising issues like unemployment and migration from the region. Giriraj's own personal image puts him in an advantageous position as he is also given credit for the revival of the fertiliser factory at Barauni.
His firebrand image has no match and so he already had an initial edge, remarked a BJP supporter. Begusarai's former mayor Upendra Prasad Singh claimed Giriraj would not face any problem even if he is facing anti-incumbency.
"There are critics of even Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Will it make a difference," he asked, and said in the last election, Kanhiaya got votes of a section of Bhumihars and youths but CPI would not get these votes this time.
CPI candidate Awadhesh Rai, who is Yadav, is hopeful of putting up a good show in the election. CPI candidate is also calling himself a local while dubbing Giriraj as an outsider. Giriraj belongs to Barahiya in Lakhisarai district. CPI's optimism mainly emanates from the fact unlike in 2019 when it was locked in a triangular fight with BJP and RJD, there is a direct fight with BJP this time. The main grudge against Giriraj among the electorate is he is inaccessible and not easily available and CPI is trying to exploit it to the fullest.
