Chhapra/Patna, May 13: The Congress today fielded Jitendra Swami, son of late RJD MP Umashankar Singh, from Maharajganj in a move that is being seen in political circles as the first manifestation of a “behind-the-scenes” pact between the JD(U) and Sonia Gandhi’s party to help each other.
Swami, an accused in several cases of murder and other offences, came out on bail recently after spending over seven years in jail. Sources said he was not even a primary member of the Congress till he was declared the party’s nominee for the crucial Lok Sabha byelection scheduled for June 2.
“Given his stature and track record, Swami hardly stands a chance in Maharajganj, which the Congress has not won in the last 25 years. But being a Rajput and son of the MP whose death has necessitated the bypoll, he can cut into the Rajput votes and create trouble for RJD nominee Prabhunath Singh. In the process he can end up helping P.K. Shahi, the JD(U) nominee from the Bhumihar community,” said a local RJD leader.
The Maharajganj Lok Sabha seat is known for the numerical preponderance of the upper caste Rajputs followed by Yadavs and Bhumihars. Prabhunath, who contested as a JD(U) candidate in 2009, had lost to the RJD’s Umashankar Singh by a slender margin of over 2,000 votes.
A formidable candidate and Rajput strongman, Prabhunath, who had won from Maharajganj in 2004 as well, shifted to the RJD after his 2009 loss, in the hope that he would get the support of the Yadavs.
Observers believe Prabhunath would have been a strong contender in a straight fight against Shahi. The Bhumihars are relatively fewer in number compared to the Rajputs in the constituency. “But he (Shahi) has got breathing space with Swami joining the fray. Swami will harm no one other than Prabhunath,” said an MLA.
The Congress announced Swami’s candidature on a day Shahi, accompanied by BJP leaders as well, filed his nomination papers before the Saran district magistrate. While Lalu Prasad failed to prevent the Congress, which he considers his “friendly” party, from fielding its nominee, Nitish managed to put up a united NDA show when Shahi filed his papers.
