BJP’s Sarawgi faces rough weather in bid for fourth term

Darbhanga: BJP’s sitting MLA from Darbhanga Sadar constituency, Sanjay Sarawgi is seeking a fourth term in Bihar assembly, having won the seat since 2005. The 40-year-old MBA appears very confident of his success this time too. But the going doesn’t seem to be very smooth this time.
During a padyatra of the Kathalbari area of this town the other day, he was addressing most of people by their names.“They are like my family and I have been with them in their moments of joy and sorrow,” claimed Sarawgi. The people of the locality, however, were not so sure. “Of late, he has become somewhat arrogant,” said one of them.
The going is likely to be very tough for Sarawgi this time. Though the segment is set to witness a straight fight between Sarawgi and RJD candidate Om Prakash Khediya alias Mitthu Khediya, fielded by the grand alliance, there is a spoiler for the NDA too in the form of Jagdish Shah, a former BJP district president who was denied ticket by the party and has entered the fray as an Independent candidate. “I am very much in the race and will prove my popularity to the saffron party,” Shah said.
The NDA is leaving no stone unturned to tilt the scales in its favour. Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and BJP president Amit Shah have visited the constituency to seek votes for Sarawgi. PM Narendra Modi will hold a public meeting here on November 2, three days prior to election on November 5.
In this urban segment, this time the grand alliance appears to be a force to reckon with as the MY (Muslim-Yadav) combine comprises almost 45-50 per cent of the 2. 82 lakh voters. “All the secular votes, which have always been huge in number, will go to the kitty of grand alliance,’’ said an optimistic Khediya.
On the other hand, voters of the backward classes, including the extremely backward classes, are somewhat fragmented, some drifting to the NDA and others going with the grand alliance. Khediya is also a known face here as he has been the city mayor for five terms. “At least some development work of the Nitish government is apparent before us, like improved power condition, good roads, better law and order situation etc,” said one Raju Paswan.
The two strong contenders are locked in a war of words to woo voters. “It was only because of Nitish Kumar that funds were not allotted for the development of the town despite the Centre releasing the money. As far as Khediya‘s reputation is concerned, it is common knowledge that he did not work at all as a mayor here,’’ said Sarawgi.
Khediya is, however, equally aggressive. “When Bihar was ruled by the NDA, development works had come to a complete standstill here. The NDA has played politics of division here and is now exposed before the voters,” he said.