Lalu's fate hinges on sons’ show in Leg III

PATNA: Much is at stake for RJD chief Lalu Prasad in the third phase of Bihar assembly election as his sons Tej Pratap Yadav and Tejaswi Prasad Yadav, both debutants in electoral politics, are facing tough challenges from the NDA candidates in Mahua and Raghopur constituencies respectively in Vaishali district, where polling will be held on October 28. The RJD is in the fray in 24 of the 50 constituencies going to the polls in this phase.
Even though Lalu has carefully chosen Yadav-dominated constituencies for sons, elder Tej Pratap is facing challenges from Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) nominee Ravindra Rai in Mahua while Tejaswi is facing odds in Raghopur in his bid to snatch the family’s traditional seat from sitting MLA Satish Kumar. Satish, who as JD (U) nominee trounced Tejaswi’s mother and former CM Rabri Devi in 2010 assembly polls, is trying his luck this time on BJP ticket.
Satish was denied JD (U) ticket after Lalu and Nitish joined hands to counter the growing influence of BJP in Bihar. He swiftly shifted to the BJP a few days before the filing of nomination papers began.
The JD (U) had won Mahua and Raghopur seats in 2010 elections defeating the RJD nominees, but CM Nitish Kumar conceded the seats to the RJD, much to the chagrin of local JD (U) workers. Ravindra Rai won Mahua seat in 2010, but he later turned dissident and lost his membership of assembly on the charges of defection. He then joined former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM-S. As the NDA allotted Mahua seat to HAM-S, Manjhi nominated Rai to contest against Lalu’s elder son.
Besides Vaishali, the other districts going to the polls in the third phase are Patna, Nalanda, Saran, Bhojpur and Buxar. Saran is considered ‘karmaboomi’ of Lalu as he began his electoral career after winning the Lok Sabha election from Saran in 1977. He later won Chhapra Lok Sabha seat three times.
As Chhapra, the district HQ town of Saran, is considered his bastion, Lalu’s party RJD has been allotted seven of the ten assembly seats falling under Saran district as part of seat-sharing among the RJD, JD (U) and Congress. Defeat of RJD nominees in Saran will be considered Lalu’s defeat in his stronghold.