BJP heavyweight Radha Mohan locked in interesting battle with RLSP nominee Akash

Satish Aditya
Motihari:  Purbi Champaran parliamentary constituency (PC) in North Bihar, which will go to the polls in the 6th phase of General Elections on May 12, 2019, witnessed a fierce electioneering by sitting BJP MP and Union Agriculture Minister, Radha Mohan Singh, 69,  and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) nominee Akash Kumar, 26, son of senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Akhilesh Prasad Singh, a Rajya Sabha Member. RLSP is a constituent of Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar.

BJP heavyweight Radha Mohan Singh  is contesting from this seat  for 9th time and has won from here five times. The constituency was earlier known as Motihari parliamentary constituency. On the other hand, Akash Kumar  is a political  greenhorn. His father  Akhilesh Prasad Singh had won the seat as an RJD candidate in 2004 defeating Radha Mohan Singh, BJP. But, Radha Mohan Singh again won the seat in 2009 LS polls defeating Akhilesh Prasad Singh.

Purbi Champaran Parliamentary  constituency comprises six assembly segments : Motihari , Harsiddhi (reserve), Kesariya, Kalyanpur, Govindganj, and Pipra. Out of six  assembly segments,  four seats are under NDA  (BJP & LJP) fold while the RJD is representing the remaining two seats. Besides,  BJP and  Grand alliance, CPI  candidate Prabhakar Jaiswal  is also in fray from here.
Pandit Bibhuti Mishra, a veteran freedom fighter and Congress leader, represented Motihari seat  five times from 1952  to 1971 while Thakur Ramapati Singh, a socialist leader  and Janata Party candidate, defeated  Pandit Mishra in 1977 elections. Kamala Mishra Madhukar, CPI,  won the seat in 1980 defeating Thakur Ramapati Singh while in 1984 Congress candidate  Prabhawati Gupta won from here defeating CPI candidate Madhukar.

In 1989, Radha Mohan Singh of BJP  emerged victorious from here defeating  Congress nominee Prabhawati Gupta but in 1991  Kamala Mishra Madhukar of CPI won the seat defeating Radha Mohan Singh.  In 1996, Radha Mohan
Singh, BJP, won this seat again defeating  CPI nominee Abdul Kaifi Mogani. In 1998, Rama Devi, RJD, won from here defeating Radha Mohan Singh, BJP. In 1999, Radha Mohan Singh defeated  Rama  Devi to win the seat back.

Radha Mohan Singh, BJP,  defeated his nearest rival of RJD Binod Sriwastav  of Hajipur  to retain his seat in
2014 LS polls. Purbi Champaran  parliamentary constituency is considered a BJP bastion due to towering presence and clout of Radha Mohan Singh.

Soft spoken Radha Mohan Singh is  mainly  banking on the development works done by him in last five years  in this constituency like  reform in agriculture, establishment of Mahatma Gandhi Central university, Agriculture College, Horticulture and Forestry College, Agriculture and Co-operative Training College, Mother Dairy Processing Plant, Mahatma
Gandhi Integrated Agriculture Research Institution, Bovine Artificial Insemination Centre supported by Brazil, and establishment of Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Piprakothi and Parsauni besides doubling of rail lines and electrification of Muzaffarpur –Narkatiyaganj  rail section and modernisation of all railway stations  in East Champaran district.  Installation of Charkha Park at Motihari,  construction of road over bridge and bridge over Motijheel are his other achievements.

RLSP candidate  Akash Kumar  is depending on  Muslim-Yadav –Kushawaha and Mallah votes. Akash Kumar belongs to Bhumihar community having sizeable presence in the constituency.

The NDA leaders asked  Akhilesh Prasad Singh, father of RLSP candidate Akash Kumar,  at public meetings to tell the people about development works he did in this constituency when  he was Union Minister of State for Agriculture in UPA government. They said foundation of private sugar factory  was laid at Sariyatpur when Akhilesh was Union Minister but nothing further could be done on this front. Incidentally,  Radha Mohan Singh has declared that he was contesting his last Lok Sabha elections.
.