Lok Sabha Elections 2019: BSP makes battle triangular in Buxar constituency

From Tarkeshwari Sinha, the first Member of Parliament from Buxar in 1952 (then Patna East Lok Sabha constituency), to sitting BJP MP Ashwini Kumar Choubey, most of MPs elected from Buxar parliamentary constituency have held a berth in the Union cabinet with key portfolios.

These included Anant Prasad Sharma, Ram Subhag Singh and K K Tiwary.

Others like Maharaja Kamal Singh of Dumraon, Rama Nand Tiwary (father of RJD leader Shivanand Tiwary) and Lal Muni Chaubey, were big names though they could not become ministers at the Centre.

And yet, people complain, Buxar has not seen the kind of development it should have.

“Buxar has its place in history and mythology, but it has not yet succeeded in development,” says Prabodh Tiwari, a resident of Buxar.

“In this election, voters have to decide between lantern and electricity and you can easily understand people’s mood,” says Ashok Pandey of Rajpur. “Here, Parshuram decides the fate of Ram,” he says, alluding to the sizeable number of Brahmin voters in the constituency.

“But voters here have shown extraordinary electoral acumen by rejecting corrupt and insensitive leaders,” says Dr Haridwar Pandey, a political observer.

The main fight in Buxar this time is between sitting BJP MP Ashwani Kumar Choubey and RJD’s Jagdanand Singh.

“Each one is strong enough to inflict defeat on the other and you can’t predict the outcome till the counting takes place,” says Ramanand Yadav, a local RJD leader. “If BJP is banking on Modi’s magic, we have young and dynamic Tejashwi, who is immensely popular among the youth.”

But the presence of BSP candidate Sushil Kushwaha has made it difficult for both BJP and RJD. In 2014, Mayawati’s party had bagged 20.8% of the polled votes, which was only .22% less than the RJD which had got 21.02% vote share. In fact, the BSP chief’s rally at Chausa on May 11 saw an impressive crowd. The constituency also has a sizeable number of Kushwahas.

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To further muddy the waters, former MLA and RJD leader Ram Chandra Yadav has joined the fray as an Independent, claiming blessings of Kosi strongman Pappu Yadav, Dadan Pahalwan and former MLA Ajit Chaudhary.

BJP veteran Lal Muni Choubey has represented the constituency for a record four terms, in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004. He was denied ticket in 2014 and replaced by Ashwini Choubey. A P Sharma and K K Tiwary have won the seat twice on Congress ticket.