Arun Lata Sharma
Sitamarhi : Sixteen candidates are in fray from Sursand Assembly Constituency (AC) in Sitamarhi District in North Bihar. Sursand block town is located very close to Indo-Nepal border and famous for ‘Chena Ki Jalebi’. Road passes through Sursand enroute Janakpur Dham in Nepal. This is under the DPR of Ramayana Circuit. Several big names are associated with this constituency including Sir CPN Singh, a former Governor. The constituency will go to poll on November 3, 2020, in the second phase of polling in the state.
The RJD has once again fielded sitting MLA Sayyad Abu Dozana. He was in eye of storm few years back in connection with construction of a Mall at Patna allegedly associated with RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav. There was demand for his replacement from a section in the RJD though. The JD(U) has made MLC Dilip Rai as its nominee from here while the LJP has fielded Amit Chaudhary alias Madhav Chaudhary, a senior Bhumihar leader. Altogether 3,21,447 will exercise their franchisev on 467 polling booths to elect their representative.
Bajpatti : Twenty candidates are in the ring from Bajpatti constituency in Sitamarhi District. Bajpatti block headquarter is located on Sitamarhi-Darbhanga State Highway and former minister Dr Ranju Geeta, the sitting MLA, is once again JD(U) candidate from here. She is direct contest with the RJD nominee Mukesh Kumar Yadav. The LJP has fielded Md. Intekhab Alam while Rekha Gupta is RLSP nominee from here. Former Minister Sita Ram Yadav and former MP Nawal Kishore Rai too tried for ticket from here but couldn’t succeed and could prove to be the game changer. Ranju Geeta is a seasoned politician.
Runnisaidpur : Runnisaidpur is famous for ‘Balushahi’ sweets, Mango and Litchi. Runnisaidpur block is located between Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi on NH 77. Nine candidates are in election arena including the sitting RJD MLA Mangita Devi. Two Bhumihar stalwarts Pankaj Kumar Mishra (JD(U)) and Rajesh Kumar Chaudhary ‘s wife former MLA Guddi Chaudhary ( LJP) are also in the fray. Mangita Devi’s father- in-law Bhola Rai too represented the seat.
Riga : Riga assembly segment has to its credit a Sugar Mill known as Riga Sugar Company Ltd. The Mill has a long history and serves Sugacane growers in Sitamarhi District and bordering Nepal areas but due to government’s poor policies in last one decade it now owes huge arrears to the Sugarcane farmers.
Twenty-two candidates are in the fray from Riga AC. The sitting Congress MLA Amit Kumar Tunna is pitted against former BJP MLA Moti Lal Prasad. Congress party candidate is heavily banking on the Mahagathabandhan vote banks. The BJP candidate says that his effort would be to save the people from the fury of floods specially from river Bagmati.