Turncoats rekindle rivalry in Matihani constituency

Begusarai: Two political turncoats are once again locked in a fierce contest for the Matihani assembly seat, having faced each other from different parties in 2020.Raj Kumar Singh, who contested on an LJP ticket in 2020, had then defeated Narendra Kumar Singh alias Bogo of the JD(U) by a slender margin of just over 300 votes.

Raj was the lone winner from the LJP in the 2020 assembly elections but later crossed over to the JD(U), continuing as MLA from the seat.

This time, he is contesting again, now officially as the JD(U) nominee.In contrast, his rival Bogo, who had represented the JD(U) in the 2020 elections, is now contesting as an RJD candidate. He had earlier remained a JD(U) MLA from Matihani for two consecutive terms between 2010 and 2020.

Bogo joined the RJD shortly before the announcement of this year’s polls.Both Raj and Bogo belong to the Bhumihar community, which plays a decisive role in the politics of the district.A graduate of Delhi University, Raj’s long-standing association with senior JD(U) leader Ashok Choudhary — an alumnus of the same institution — is said to have brought him closer to the ruling party. “Matihani has its own issues, especially in the vast diara belt.

As the lone LJP member, I felt I could not do much for my constituency. This led me to join the JD(U) later,” Raj said.Bogo, however, has attacked CM Nitish Kumar’s leadership, describing him as a spent force. “Tejashwi Prasad Yadav as CM will bring new energy to the govt required to ensure development and create employment,” he said.Interestingly, CPI(M)’s Rajendra Prasad Singh was also considered a strong contender for nomination as a Mahagathbandhan candidate.

In the 2020 assembly elections, he had finished a close third, trailing the winner by just over a thousand votes.Adding another layer to the contest, Jan Suraaj’s Arun Kumar, former director of IGIMS, Patna, is seeking to carve his own political space. He is reaching out to voters with promises of employment, healthcare and education — core planks of his party’s campaign led by Prashant Kishor. Like his two principal rivals, he too hails from the Bhumihar community and the same constituency.Altogether, six candidates are in the fray for the Matihani assembly seat, making it one of the most closely watched contests in the district.