The Chandravanshi Mahasabha will project BJP leader and state agriculture minister Prem Kumar as a prospective candidate for the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Chandravanshis belong to the extremely backward caste (EBC) category.

Mahasabha insiders said the community would use its numerical strength to lobby with the party leadership to give Prem Kumar an opportunity to play a role in national politics given that he had already spent over four decades in Bihar politics.

“Our caste constitutes around six to seven per cent of the state’s population but we have no representation in Parliament. Prem babu would be an apt candidate given the kind of political experience he has,” a senior Mahasabha functionary told The Telegraph.

His assertion came just ahead of the beginning of Tuesday’s national executive of the Mahasabha which was chaired by Prem Kumar, its national president.

The minister too has aired his desire to play a role in national politics. On Tuesday also, he said as much. “People from the Mahasabha as well as many BJP workers have requested me to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections. I am okay with the idea provided the party leadership gives me an opportunity,” he said.

Mahasabha sources hinted that the organisation would press the BJP leadership to nominate Prem Kumar as the candidate from the prestigious Patna Sahib seat in case the sitting MP, Shatrughan Sinha, is denied a ticket this time.

“There are over 2 lakh Chandravanshi voters in Patna Sahib and it would play a major role in deciding the election result,” said a Mahasabha functionary.

The Mahasabha also decided to organise a rally of Chandravanshis at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on December 2.