In Bihar’s Khagaria, people want to vote for development

Struggling without basic amenities and job opportunities, voters of Bihar’s Khagaria Assembly constituency are eager for change. They are closely watching the candidates who are all out make big promises. 

Congress candidate Chandan Kumar alias Chandan Yadav is pitted against Janata Dal (United) leader Bablu Kumar Mandal in the seat, with voters seeking a plan of action from the candidates to resolve various persistent issues.

Having a clean image, Mr. Yadav is one of the candidates in the election with no criminal cases against him. He has vowed to change the face of Khagaria.

Mr. Yadav, 53, who has a Ph.D. degree from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), unsuccessfully contested the 2020 Assembly election from the Beldaur seat in Khagaria district, when he was defeated by JD(U) candidate Pannal Lal Singh Patel. However, the party has given him another opportunity from Khagaria, replacing sitting Congress MLA Chatrapati Yadav.

The MLA had expressed his anger at being denied a ticket, alleging that Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru was behind it, along with people who were part of a “syndicate that sold tickets”.

With the first phase of the election almost coming to an end, the candidates are campaigning hard. While canvassing in Mansi panchayat, Mr. Yadav said, “Khagaria is known for four products — fish, vegetables, corn and milk. There is a lot of scope for fisheries here. There was a time when vegetables used to be sent from here to different districts. This place is also called the ‘corn bowl’ and milk is another product.”

He further said, “These four food items can play an important role in strengthening the income of the farmers. Unfortunately, the BJP and JD(U) did not realise their power. The ignorance of these four important pillars has now put us in a challenging situation. I have the plan and model to bring change, I just need an opportunity.”

Geographically unique, Khagaria is surrounded by seven rivers — Ganga, Budhi Gandak, Koshi, Kareh, Kali Koshi, Kamla and Bagmati — and faces frequent floods during monsoon season. Villagers lamented that no leaders in Khagaria have resolved the basic issue of flooding, which has had a severe impact on their region.

Khagaria is also one of the places where migration is high. Many from Khagaria perform jobs that require manual labour in other States, such as climbing electric poles, carrying loads, rickshaw pulling, etc., people said. Khagaria lacks any major industry.

“Whenever an election is held, the leaders visit our villages with plenty of promises. We face a lot of difficulties and migration is one of the issues as most of the youngsters from this village have gone to other States. Nobody likes to earn outside their home, leaving family behind. Khagaria is socially and economically backward,” Nilesh Kumar, a resident of Bakhtiyar village said.

The villagers also complained that there is no open area in Khagaria panchayat for youths to practice running for jobs in the police and Army. They said youths practice running on the roads, which leads to injuries.

People in Khagaria town also expressed their disappointment over the lack of a drainage system, which leads to waterlogging for days and months.

“We always wear a half-pant when going to coaching and other places because you never know where you can face the waterlogging till your knees. So, we remove the full-pant and then walk into the stagnant dirty water to reach our destination,” said Amrintanshu Ranjan, a resident of Gaushala Road.

Due to the lack of good hospitals and surgeons, the people of Khagaria have to visit Begusarai and Bhagalpur.

Mr. Mandal, 47, too has no criminal cases pending against him. He too is leaving no stone unturned to draw the voters.

Coming from an Other Backward Class (OBC) community, Mr. Mandal is Khagaria district president of the JD(U) and has been associated with it for many years.

“I want to develop Khagaria to make this Assembly constituency the best in Khagaria district. I will solve the problem of farmers, be it in the field of milk production or fisheries. I can understand the pain of farmers because I am attached to my roots. I have seen how the poor farmers have to sell their land for the wedding of their daughters,” Mr. Mandal said as he went door-to-door campaigning in Bhadas panchayat.

Soon after becoming an MLA, he will urge Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to look after the problems being faced by the farmers in Khagaria, he said.

The constituency has voters from all castes and groups, including Vaishya, Yadav, Dalit, Muslim, Brahman, Bhumihar, Koeri, Kurmi and Mallah. The Congress has won this seat for a maximum of five times, the JD(U) thrice, and the BJP twice.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday campaigned in support of Mr. Yadav in Khargaria. Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had campaigned in Khagaria in support of NDA candidates.