The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Under Chirag shadow in Jamui, brother-in-law invokes Paswan legacy
THE 48-YEAR-OLD Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Arun Bharati became active in politics after the demise of his father-inlaw Ram Vilas Paswan, the LJP founder and ex-union minister, in 2020. He then started accompanying his brother-in-law Chirag Paswan, the sitting Jamui MP, during his public outreach in the constituency.
Fielded by Chirag-led LJP (RV) as its candidate from Jamui, which is going to the Lok Sabha elections in the first phase on April 19, Bharati seems to be going all out on his campaign trail, telling people about his party’s election symbol -- the “helicopter”
-- and seeking their votes with folded hands.
Bharati’s campaign got a shot in the arm as Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially kicked off the Bjp-led NDA’S campaign in Bihar from Jamui Thursday. Under the NDA’S agreement for Bihar’s 40 seats, the LJP (RV) has been allotted five seats as the BJP preferred Chirag over his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras whose LJP faction was not given any seat.
On Friday, Bharati campaigned in Shekhpura, one of six Assembly segments of Jamui, the other five being Jamui, Sikandara, Jhajha, Chakai and Tarapur.
As he comes out of his car at Chewada Chowk, his party’s district president Imam Ghazali, the BJP’S Shekhpura district general secretary Sanjay Singh and Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) state general secretary Rahul Kumar welcome him and introduce him to several local residents.
Bharati politely tells them that he is a “Chirag’s representative”. He accepts their marigold garlands and then heads to garland the statue of B R Ambedkar amid clapping. Some young voters request for selfies with him and are promptly obliged.
Talking to The Indian Express about his entry into politics, he says: "Chirag Paswan has told me that I have to go through the proper process of candidate selection. People might carry an impression that I am parachuted to Jamui because of being the son-in-law of the late Ram Vilas Paswan but it is not true. My name has gone from the district. As for people’s allegations of parivarvaad (nepotism), I would often quote PM Modi, who has said that if a member of a politician’s family makes a name in politics because of his or her ability and hard work, it is not dynastic promotion," says Bharati, who shut his automobile business at Patna last year after deciding to plunge into politics.
Asked about some voters’ complaint about Chirag having not focused much on the constituency’s development, Bharati says: "Jamui had been a tough area hit by Left Wing Extremism (LWE). It is now Lwe-free and has been seeing rapid infrastructural growth. I am seeking another term as Chirag’s representative to take development to Shekhpura, Tarapur, Sikandara and Chakai."
He also defends Chirag’s decision to shift to his father’s traditional seat Hajipur this time, stressing on the need for taking forward Ram Vilas Paswan’s legacy. "Chirag has not left Jamui. He is taking stock of Jamui daily," he says.
Bharati’s mother Dr Jyoti had been a Congress MLA and MLC for two terms each. He says: “Though I got political training from my mother, I was never keen on joining politics. But I was deeply impressed by Ram Vilas Paswan’s worldview.”
Bharati also says the Narendra Modi factor has been a major theme of this election. "We are working towards PM Modi’s slogan of achieving the target of 400 seats. We have been talking about rapid development made under his leadership in the last 10 years. As for Opposition, it is bereft of any idea or narrative. he says.
In the SC (Scheduled Castes)reserved Jamui seat, Chirag has been a two-time MP. In the 2019 polls, he had defeated the RLSP’S Bhudeo Choudhary by over 2.4 lakh votes.
Jammui’s SC population comprises one lakh Paswans, 50,000 Manjhis and 80,000 from the Ravidas community. Among OBCS, there are 2.5 lakh Yadavs, 2 lakh Vaishyas and 2.5 lakh Koeris-kurmis-dhanuks.the constituency’s upper caste population includes two lakh Rajputs, one lakh Bhumihars, 50,000 Brahmins, and 30,000 Kayasthas. It also has about 1.5 lakh Muslims.
VOTING ON APRIL 19