Satish Aditya
Motihari : The electioneering in Pipra Assembly Constituency (AC) in East Champaran District in North Bihar, which will to poll on November 3, 2020, has reached feverish pitch. All the candidates have intensified their election campaigns in remote villages with their
supporters. There are 15 candidates including two women in the fray this time.
Majority of the voters say that Shyambabu Prasad Yadav, the sitting BJP MLA ,is locked in contest with his old rival Raj Mangal Prasad , ,the CPM candidate of Grand Alliance (GA) but Awadhesh Kushawaha’s entry as an Independent candidate has made the contest triangular here. Awadhesh Kushawaha is a JD(U) rebel. The Pipra seat went to the BJP in the seat sharing formula this time.
Pipra constituency lies on both sides of NH-28 spread over Piprakothi to Mehasi in 30 km long stretch comprising Chakiya, Tetariya, and Mehasi blocks. The total number of voters is 3,39,104, who will exercise their franchise on 485 polling booths on November 3, 2020,
in second phase of Bihar Assembly elections.
In 2010 assembly elections, Awadhesh Kushawaha, as a JD(U) candidate, had won the Pipra seat defeating RJD candidate Subodh Yadav and he became Sugarcane Development Minister in Nitish Kumar Government But in 2015 assembly elections, his ticket was cancelled by the party president after a video went viral against him. Krishna Chandra Kushawaha was allotted JD(U) ticket but he was defeated by BJP candidate Shyambabu Prasad Yadav by a margin of 3,940 votes.
Karan Singh, a farmer of Madhopur, said, ” Shyambabu Yadav, the BJP MLA ,has done nothing for development of this constituency. Bidhayak ta aybo na kare gaon me. khali chunaw me dikhai dela ( The MLA never visited the area, he is seen only during election ).” Dozen of farmers and labourers of Chakiya, Piprakothi, and Mehasi , criticized the sitting BJP MLA Yadav, saying Chakiya Sugar Factory has remained closed for the last 20 years but the state government remained indifferent. The Gandak canals are full of silt and farmers are not getting water for irrigation. Subhash Kushawaha, the RLSP candidate from Pipra, supported the grievances of the farmers and said the NItish Government is anti- farmer.
Baniya, Kushawaha, Yadav, and Mullah castes have considerable presence in this constituency followed by Bhumihar, Brahmin, Muslim, and Dalits. BJP National President J P Nadda has already visited this constituency and addressed an election meeting urging the voters to elect the BJP candidate Yadav, who enjoys full support of former Union Minister Radha Mohan Singh, BJP MP from Purvi Champaran. Radha Mohan is campaigning for Yadav.
Raj Mangal Prasad, the CPM candidate, is getting support of M Y combination, while Awadhesh Kusgawaha, Independent, and RLSP nominee Subhash Kushawaha aretrying to mobilise the support of Kushawaha voters. Lalbabu Prasad, a BJP leader, said that the BJP candidate is getting support of all castes and community because he worked hard for the common man.