Bhagalpur's Political Legacy Faces Decisive Test
The historic Bhagalpur assembly constituency is witnessing another intense electoral battle as Congress incumbent MLA Ajit Sharma locks horns with BJP nominee Rohit Pandey in what political observers describe as a high-stakes bipolar contest. This constituency has long been defined by its tug-of-war between these two major parties, and the upcoming election promises to continue this tradition with heightened intensity.
Historical Context and Electoral Mathematics
Since Independence, Bhagalpur has seen eight wins by Congress and ten victories by the erstwhile Jana Sangh and its successor BJP. The constituency's political landscape underwent significant changes when former minister and BJP leader Ashwini Choubey represented it five times consecutively between 1995 and 2010. However, Congress leader Ajit Sharma has held the seat since 2014, creating a new political equation.
The 2020 polls demonstrated how fragile these victories can be. BJP candidate Rohit Pandey lost by a narrow margin of just 1,113 votes, primarily due to the intervention of then LJP candidate Rajesh Verma, who polled 20,523 votes. Verma, who had rebelled from BJP, managed to grab a sizeable portion of the business community vote that traditionally aligns with the BJP.
Campaign Strategies and Social Equations
Congress candidate Ajit Sharma is relying on the M-Y (Muslim-Yadav) combination alongside support from his own Bhumihar community to secure victory for the fourth consecutive time. He's banking heavily on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's charisma and RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav's established vote bank to steer his campaign toward success.
Meanwhile, BJP's Rohit Pandey is leveraging what local supporters call the 'Panch Pandav' magic - the combined strength of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, JD(U) led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, LJP(RV) under Chirag Paswan, HAM(S) of Jitan Ram Manjhi, and RLM of Upendra Kushwaha. This alliance represents a formidable political force that the BJP hopes will help them reclaim Bhagalpur after nearly a decade.
Other Contenders and Key Issues
While the main contest appears bipolar, other candidates including Abhay Kant Jha from Jan Suraaj and Rekha Das from BSP are also in the fray. However, as noted by political observer Zeejah Hussain, these parties have limited organizational strength in Bhagalpur, making their performance worth watching primarily to see if they can move beyond token presence rather than creating a triangular contest.
Local business communities, represented by Sharad Salarpuria, president of the Eastern Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries, have raised several development demands. These include immediate start of air services, speedy construction of a four-lane parallel bridge to Vikramshila Bridge, upgrading Bhagalpur railway station with a DRM office, incentives for Tussar silk and handloom sectors, and implementation of the proposed marine drive along the Ganga.
With top leaders from both alliances, including PM Narendra Modi, CM Nitish Kumar, Rahul Gandhi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, having campaigned extensively in Bhagalpur, the political temperature has reached its peak. On November 11, a total of 3,43,992 electors in the Bhagalpur assembly segment - comprising 1,75,744 men, 1,68,228 women, and 20 transgender voters - will ultimately decide the fate of these candidates in this crucial electoral battle.
