Intriguing role of Prashant Kishor's party in 6 constituencies of Magadh division

Gaya: Even as Magadh poll watchers are reluctant to bet on the Jan Suraaj in the 26-constituency division, there is a near unanimity on the point that Prashant Kishor’s party may play the X factor in at least six seats, where victory margin in the last election was just 5,000-10,000 votes.The constituency where Jan Suraaj is likely to have the maximum impact is Gurua, where the party has fielded former MLC Sanjeev Shyam Singh, who represented the Gaya Teachers constituency in the Bihar legislative council for two consecutive terms.Being a leader of teachers, Singh has got an advantage in the form of committed grassroots campaigners, says Jan Suraaj member Arun Kumar Prasad.Bodh Gaya is another constituency where the Jan Suraaj is likely to affect the final poll outcome.

The party has fielded Laxman Manjhi, who comes from Mushar community, against LJP(RV) and RJD’s non-Mushar candidates in the Bodh Gaya constituency, where Mushars have a very strong presence.Manjhi, better known as Tiger, has got a image of a fighter like his nickname. Poll watchers say that the presence of Tiger — who was earlier in Jitan Ram Manjhi’s party — in the fray, may help RJD candidate Kumar Sarvajeet, the sitting MLA amid anti-incumbency.

But BJP district chief (east) Vijay Manjhi says that the Mushars are firmly behind the NDA candidate.Besides, the Jan Suraaj is also in a position to influence the final outcome in the Imamganj assembly constituency, where it secured a respectable third position in the Nov 2024 byelection, with more than 35,000 votes.In Imamganj, the main contest is between Deepa Manjhi of the HAM(S) and Ritu Priya Chaudhary of RJD.

The Jan Suraaj candidate Ajeet Kumar, a doctor, belongs to a caste that is believed to tilt more towards the INDIA alliance.In Gaya town seat, the presence of HAM(S) candidate Dhirendra Agrawal has made the contest more interesting and for the first time in many years, Prem Kumar, the perennial winner since 1990 will have to work extra hard, says Akhauri Niranjan, a senior leader of the BJP. Agrawal, it may be recalled, had won the parliamentary elections from Chatra seat (now in Jharkhand) thrice between 1996 and 2004.Archana Chandra, the Jan Suraaj candidate from Nabinagar constituency in Aurangabad district has also found traction, with JD(U)’s Chetan Anand facing resistance on account of being an “outsider”. The Nabinagar result, it is being felt, will to a great extent depend on the performance of the Jan Suraaj candidate, who, besides being educated, has been active in Aurangabad for several years.The contest in Belaganj is very close this time. The Jan Suraj has put up a Muslim candidate thereby making things somewhat difficult for RJD candidate Vishvanath Yadav.As per conventional wisdom, Jan Suraaj may adversely affect the prospects of the INDIA bloc in Imamganj, Belaganj and Nabinagar and NDA in Gaya Town and Bodh Gaya.