OBCs form bulk of RJD’s Bihar list; Yadavs, EBCs follow

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which has announced a list of 22 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, seems to have fallen back on its trusted Muslim-Yadav combine to keep social combinations intact.

The party has fielded eight Yadav candidates and two Muslims while 12 nominees belong to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Three candidates each from the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) have also made the cut apart from two upper caste candidates.

The party, which is contesting 23 of the state’s 40 Lok Sabha seats as a part of the Mahagathbandhan, has not announced a nominee for Siwan, as the choice is open between former Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary and Hina Sahab, widow of former MP Mohammed Shahbuddin.

The RJD initially was to contest 26 seats but following a deal, gave three from its quota to Mukesh Sahni’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). Bihar votes in all seven phases of the elections, from April 19 to June 1.

The RJD has also fielded six women – Ritu Jaiswal from Sheohar, Anita Devi Mahto from Munger, Bima Bharati from Purnea, Archana Ravidas from Jamui, and RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s to daughters – Misa Bharati from Pataliputra and Rohini Acharya from Saran.

Jaiswal, who has earned praise for her work as the mukhiya of Singhwahini village, is the wife of an IAS officer who has opted for voluntary retirement while Anita is the wife of former don-turned-politician Ashok Mahto.

The RJD has also fielded eight sitting legislators – Bodh Gaya MLA Kumar Sarvjeet from Gaya, Ramgarh MLA Sudhakar Singh from Buxar, Singheshwar legislator Chandrahas Choupal from Supaul, Jokihat MLA Shahnawaz Alam from Araria, Belaganj MLA Surendra Prasad Yadav from Jehanabad, Ujiarpur MLA Alok Kumar Mehta from Ujiarpur,