- विज्ञापन -
Bihar: Voting is currently taking place for the Tirhut Graduate MLC by-election in Bihar, with voters forming steady lines outside polling stations on Thursday. This election is attracting considerable attention as the seat became vacant after Devesh Chandra Thakur was elected to the Lok Sabha from Sitamarhi. The contest features candidates from three parties: JD(U), RJD, and Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj Party.
The JD(U) has nominated Abhishek Jha, an upper caste candidate, who has been campaigning on issues such as graduate employment, timely university sessions, postgraduate education, and improving access to education loans. He has criticized Prashant Kishor for allegedly contradicting his anti-dynasty stance by selecting a candidate from a political family.
The RJD candidate, Gopi Kishan, hails from the Vaishya community and has focused his campaign on representing student interests, creating job opportunities, and enhancing communication between the government and the student body.
Dr. Vinayak Gautam, representing the Jan Suraj Party, comes from the Bhumihar community and has a notable political lineage as the son of former MLC Ramkumar Singh and grandson of former Minister Raghunath Pandey. He aims to leverage his family’s political influence to connect with the Bhumihar voter base.
Historically, Tirhut has leaned towards the NDA, with all seven MPs from the region belonging to this alliance. Devesh Chandra Thakur, the former MLC, served for over 20 years and had a close relationship with Nitish Kumar, enhancing the party’s presence in the area.
Prashant Kishor’s involvement with a prominent candidate has added a layer of complexity to the election, potentially dividing the traditional party vote. Both JD(U) and RJD candidates have emphasized the importance of job creation for unemployed graduates, timely university sessions, and facilitating postgraduate studies. Gopi Kishan has particularly stressed the need for student representation in policy-making.
Abhishek Jha of JD(U) has pledged to improve the loan process for higher education. The Tirhut graduate MLC constituency has a total of 158,828 voters, comprising 107,401 males and 47,419 females, and spans four districts: Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Sitamarhi, and Sheohar, presenting a diverse electoral landscape. Vote counting is scheduled for December 9.
