Chief minister Nitish Kumar can thank organic chemistry. It is scripting a new electoral chemistry that could earn his Grand Alliance dividends in Mustafaganj, a non-descript village on the Sheohar-Muzaffarpur districts' border.
A majority of the residents around 30km north of Muzaffarpur town, a Maoist hotbed, produce vermi compost (organic manure), which is supplied across north Bihar. And this new chemistry has nothing to do with caste, although caste is a major factor in this Assembly election.
"We have witnessed change after chief minister Nitish Kumar's visit during his Vikas Yatra in November 2011. It was because of him (Nitish) that farmers got support from government agencies and the people's fate changed. Thanks to Nitish, a majority of the people are involved in making vermi compost, or worm compost, to earn a livelihood," said septuagenarian Ganesh Prasad.
Ganesh, who retired from the health department, was busy packing bags of organic manure to sell to a Motihari-based farmer. "Organic manure is in great demand in the region. People from far-off places like Bettiah, Motihari, Gopalganj, Siwan, Darbhanga and Samastipur come here to purchase vermi compost," said Prasad, who started farming on his 13-acre land after retirement.
A 50kg bag of vermi compost fetches anything between Rs 500 and Rs 600. Every house in the village has two things in common - cattle and beds of vermi compost. On an average, a family's monthly income varies from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000.
People of the Koeri caste (which Union minister Upendra Kushwaha belongs to) dominate the village. But most of them are Nitish supporters. "We are with Nitish and not with our caste leader, Upendra, who has fielded another Kushwaha (Ajay Kumar) as the NDA candidate from Minapur," said Surendra Prasad (55). Koeris (Kushwahas) are considered a vote bank of the NDA of which Upendra's Rashtriya Lok Samata Party is a segment.
"Nitishji ka kaam dikhta hai (Nitish's work is visible)," said Surendra. His wife, Bimla Devi (45), supports making of organic manure on the farmland. "It is all because of Nitishji. He is like a god in our family," Bimla, a mother of three, said. Bimla's two sons Mritunjay and Krishna Murari are studying in a para-medical college. Her daughter Mamta Kumari is a Plus Two student.
Residents have set up a farmers' club named after a freedom fighter, late Bhikhari Thakur (not the Bhojpuri litterateur), to ensure benefits of government schemes reach the farmers. Apart from making organic manure, people are engaged in growing organic vegetables, fruits and other cash crops, which they sell in nearby Ganjpar.
Mustafaganj, with a population of over 3,500, falls under the Minapur Assembly constituency in Muzaffarpur district. Here, Ajay Kumar (BJP), son of sitting MLA Dinesh Kushwaha (HAMS), is pitted against Rajendra Kumar alias Munna Yadav of the RJD.
At Ganjpar, a famous vegetable market on the Muzaffarpur-Sheohar road, Radhe Yadav said: "Isbar to yahan se lalten hi jalega (This time people will light the lantern (RJD symbol) only)." Obviously, Ajay, the son of former irrigation minister Dinesh Kumar (Dinesh Kushwaha), is facing problems because he is the incumbent MLA's son, even if from a different party.
There is a sizeable population of Koeris, Yadavs, Vaisyas and Muslims here. "Vaisyas will turn the tide here," said Sitaram Prasad (65), who had voted for the NDA in last year's Lok Sabha election. For him, it is Nitish who can take the state on the path of development and meet people's expectations.
At Sheohar, around 35km from Minapur, the scene is different. HAMS has fielded Lovely Anand, a former MP and Rajput, keeping in mind that Rajputs are in sizeable numbers in Sheohar. Lovely, who unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Sheohar, is hopeful of victory this time. "Our popular leader and Union home minister Rajnath Singh campaigned for me. I am getting support from all sections," Lovely claimed.
Raghunath Jha's son Ajit Kumar Jha, a former MLA, is contesting as a Samajwadi Party candidate from here this time. But Lovely is locked in a fierce battle with Mohammad Sarfuddin of the JDU. The presence of another Rajput leader, Thakur Ratnakar Rana, contesting as an Independent, has made the task tough for Lovely.
Both Minapur and Sheohar are affected by Naxalism. Rajnath mentioned the problem at his rally and promised to rid the region of the Maoist menace if the NDA is voted to power. However, it is not a poll issue. "Netas come, make promises and never return to fulfil them," said realtor Dharmendra Patel, whose office, Jai Maa Property, is on the Sheohar Main Market Road.
Sheohar is at the bottom of the rung when it comes to gross district domestic product in the state. Though it's a district, the headquarters is devoid of basic infrastructure. Former minister Raghunath Jha was credited with making Sheohar a district about two decades ago but the district doesn't even have a degree college. Construction of a bridge near Piprahi ahead of the town has stopped because of frequent attacks on the construction company's camp office by Maoists and their rivals, the Azad Hind Fauz, over non-payment of extortion. The office was attacked thrice in the past year, forcing the company to stop work midway.
♦ Sheohar votes on Nov. 1
