In Siwan, Shahabuddin’s political legacy looms over electoral battle
Despite his death three years ago, Mohammed Shahabuddin’s influence lingers in the political discourse of Siwan — the parliamentary constituency in Bihar that the politician-mafioso represented from 1996 to 2009.
Despite his death three years ago, Mohammed Shahabuddin’s influence lingers in the political discourse of Siwan — the parliamentary constituency in Bihar that the politician-mafioso represented from 1996 to 2009. Things, however, changed electorally in the constituency after the four-term MP’s conviction in a murder case and his subsequent disqualification.
His wife Hena Shahab, who unsuccessfully contested the seat thrice since 2009 as a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate, is again in the poll fray, albeit, as an Independent — making it a three-corner contest in Siwan, which will vote in the sixth phase on May 25.
The RJD, a party Shahabuddin was always associated with, has looked beyond the late strongman’s family for the first time, having fielded former assembly speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary, a six-term legislator from Siwan assembly seat.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) — a partner in the ruling NDA — has fielded Vijaylakshmi Devi, the wife of Ramesh Kushwaha, former legislator from Ziradei in Siwan district. The couple joined the JD(U) in the run-up to the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
“I had no option. Shahabuddin was a founder member of the RJD, but the party did not feel the need to even attend the condolence meeting after his death [on May 1, 2021]. No party leader came to pay tribute,” Hena Shahab said, responding to why she chose to fight as an Independent.
Once a stronghold of the Jana Sangh, Siwan’s political dynamics took a full circle, having seen a change after the emergence of Shahabuddin and another major shift after his conviction in the murder case in 2007.
In 2009 and 2014, Om Prakash Yadav won from Siwan — first as an Independent and then on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket. He, however, lost to JD(U)’s Kavita Singh, wife of local strongman Ajay Singh, in 2019. The JD(U) has replaced Kavita Singh with Vijaylakshmi.
Both the RJD and the JD(U) sounded confident of winning the seat this time, and so has Hena Shahab, who finished second in the previous three polls.
RJD is banking on the combined strength of the opposition Mahagathbandhan, which includes CPI-ML, which has a sizeable presence in Siwan. Each has a reasonable merit to their claim.
“Choudhary has clean image and is a known face, having won assembly election six times from Siwan,” Md Sadiq, a shopkeeper in Siwan, said of the RJD pick.
“Hena will be able to pull minority votes because AIMIM is supporting her. In fact, she may even get the votes of forward castes (Rajput), as Shahabuddin had their support because of his anti CPI-ML work,” Ramashish Yadav, a resident of Duraundha, said.
Anil Pandey, a professor at a local college, believes a war of attrition is going on between Hena Shahab and RJD and the same could benefit the JD(U). Nitish Kumar’s party, which aims to retain the seat, believes its alliance with the BJP has tilted the scale on its side.
