Faux pas: Bihar candidates’ affidavits show some aged by a decade since last election

A look at some of the candidates of Bihar polls will reveal shocking details about their age. Since the last assembly polls in 2015, some of them have aged by over eight to ten years on papers.

Take the case of outgoing science and technology minister and sitting JD(U) MLA from Dinara assembly constituency in Rohtas district, Jai Kumar Singh. His affidavit shows his age as ten years more since the last election. In 2015, Singh was 46-year-old, however, according to the affidavit filed for the 2020 polls, he is now 56-year-old. The polls at Dinara would be held in the first phase on October 28 and Singh is pitted against Vijay Kumar Mandal of the RJD.

Another candidate from Barh constituency, Gyanendra Singh Gyanu in Patna district has aged ten years on papers since the last election. According to his affidavit, while his age was 51 years in 2015, in 2020 he claims to be 61.

Gyanu, a BJP candidate, has been winning elections from Rajput-dominated Barh constituency for the past three times. Barh would go to polls in the first phase. This time, Gyanu is in direct contest with Congress candidate Satyendra Bahadur.

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Besides Gyanu, there is another contestant from Suryagarha in Lakhisarai district. Ramanand Mandal of the JD(U), whose constituency was changed from Lakhisarai to Suryagarha in this poll, has aged by eight years since the last assembly polls. While Mandal was 47-year-old in 2015 when he contested from Lakhisarai seat, he is now 55-year-old as per his affidavit. He will be contesting from Suryagarha this time. Mandal is in a direct fight with Prahlad Yadav of the RJD.

Saroj Yadav, RJD candidate from Barhara in Bhojpur district, is now three years youngers on papers since the last election. Yadav, pitted against 67-year-old Raghvendra Pratap Singh of the BJP, was 33-year-old in 2015 when he contested from the same constituency. As per an affidavit filed by him in 2020, he is 30-year-old. Voting at Barhara would be held in the first phase of the election.

The age of BJP candidate Nikki Hembrom from Katoria (reserved) constituency in Banka district has remained the same since the last election, as per her affidavit. However, her wealth has reduced by a few lakh rupees since the last fiscal. Hembrom was 42-year-old in 2015 and this year also her affidavit projects the same age.

Hembrom is in a direct fight with Sweety Sima Hembram of the RJD. The polling in the constituency, where six women contestants are in the fray, would be held in the first phase.