Lok Sabha Election 2019: Rams & Lalus pep up polls in Bihar

While this Lok Sabha election is largely two-pronged in Bihar – between the ruling NDA and the Opposition Mahagathbandhan – making the polls colourful are some random and odd candidates with their unusual names, background or raison d'être for contesting polls.

Sample these: Lalu Prasad Yadav is up against real ex-CM's in-law in Saran; ex-IITians are in fray for BAP (Bahujan Azad Party); four Rams are in fray in Hajipur, which has only sent 'Rams' to the LS ever since it became a reserved seat in 1977; and a BSP candidate is becoming popular as 'coin-man' after he paid Rs 25,000 in coins to file his nomination in Biharsharif "to highlight the problems faced during coin transactions in recent days."

Lalu Prasad Yadav

The namesake of RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav is a 39-year-old independent candidate from Saran LS constituency, considered to be a stronghold of RJD's first family. Yadav had polled around 10,000 votes in 2014 elections. That year, RJD vice-president and ex-Bihar CM Rabri Devi had lost Saran to BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy by around 40,000 votes and Yadav was considered to be one of the reasons for creating "confusion" among the electorate. This time, he is up against RJD MLA Chandrika Rai, also an in-law of the RJD president. Yadav has contested various polls in the last two decades. He ekes his livelihood through farming.

Ex-IITian from BAP

Formed by ex-IITians to 'uplift' the 'Bahujan Samaj', the Bahujan Azad Party (BAP) has fielded Anand Kumar Maurya, a passout from IIT-Delhi, from Sheohar LS seat. "We also plan to field candidates from Patna Sahib, Pataliputra and Karakatsaid Sarkar Akhilesh, one of the founding members of BAP, which has 'slate' as poll symbol. The BAP hopes to bring in "change" by providing a platform to the "educated" to step into politics. Among its promises include "population-based reservation", "full implementation of Mandal panel report" and "reforms in education, health, agriculture and job creation".

Hajipur's 'Ram' legacy

Term it a coincidence, but ever since Hajipur LS seat was declared a reserved (SC) constituency in 1977, it has been won by candidates who had 'Ram' in their names – be it incumbent LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan or his predecessors Ram Sunder Das, Ram Ratan Ram and Ramshekhar Prasad Singh. This has prompted at least four 'Rams' to throw their hat into poll arena from Hajipur this time. It includes RJD's Shiv Chandra Ram, Harendra Ram of Ambedkarite Party of India and independents Jalandhar Ram and Ramesh Das. With Union minister Paswan not in fray and his brother Pashupati Kumar Paras contesting in his place, it will be interesting to see if the seat continues to send a 'Ram' to the Lower House or the tradition is beaten by Paras.

Coin-man makes heads turn

BSP candidate in Nalanda LS seat, Shashi Kumar, paid his deposit of Rs 25,000 in coins while filing papers "to highlight the hardship faced to transact in coins these days". The Collectorate staff took around two hours to count the coins that weighed 35 kgs, before issuing him the receipt. 'Coin-man' Kumar said the public faced much problems as shopkeepers and banks have "stopped accepting coins".