Fresh faces to battle for Rafiganj as both alliances field new candidates

Aurangabad: Rafiganj assembly constituency in Aurangabad district is set for an intriguing contest this year, as both major alliances — the NDA and the INDIA bloc — have fielded entirely new candidates.

Whichever way the results go, Rafiganj is guaranteed a new representative.The RJD has dropped its sitting MLA Mohammad Nihaluddin and chosen Ghulam Shahid, a well-known local minority leader and former chairman of the Rafiganj Nagar Panchayat. His wife currently serves as the Nagar Panchayat chairperson, bolstering his grassroots influence and local political network.On the other side, the JD(U) has replaced its former MLA Ashok Kumar Singh with Pramod Kumar Singh, who contested the last election as an Independent and finished second.

Pramod Singh had also contested in 2015, when he came third. His return to the electoral arena under the JD(U) banner has injected fresh energy and renewed strategy into the NDA camp.The primary contest appears to be between Ghulam Shahid of the RJD and Pramod Kumar Singh of the JD(U) with both alliances banking on new leadership to overcome anti-incumbency sentiment. While the RJD seeks to retain the seat through Shahid’s strong local base, the JD(U) hopes to reclaim its past dominance, having previously won Rafiganj in 2000, 2010 and 2015.

A total of 12 candidates are contesting from Rafiganj, including five independents. Besides the two main contenders, the field includes Suman Kumari (BSP), Maheshwar Paswan (Akhil Hind Forward Bloc Krantikari), Rajesh Kumar (Sampurn Bharat Krantikari Party), Rahul Kumar (Jagruk Janata Party) and Vikas Kumar Singh (Jan Suraj). Political observers are watching closely to see how the BSP and Jan Suraj perform, given their recent grassroots mobilisation across parts of southern Bihar.Politically, Rafiganj holds a distinctive place in Aurangabad’s electoral history. Congress veteran Vijay Kumar Singh represented the seat three times and later served as a minister in the Bihar govt. The constituency was reserved for Scheduled Castes between 1962 and 1972.Today, Rafiganj stands as the second-largest commercial centre in Aurangabad after the district headquarters, with 332,381 registered voters, including 157,266 women.

Voting will take place across 424 polling stations.Rafiganj’s history has not been without turbulence. The constituency witnessed several massacres in the 1980s and 1990s, which left deep social scars. Yet, it remains a culturally vibrant region. It is home to the famous Jain pilgrimage site at Pachar, where an ancient cave houses an idol of Lord Parshvanath. The constituency also boasts the Umga Hills of Madanpur and the ancient Shiva temple at Chev, both attracting spiritual tourists and heritage enthusiasts.