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'Bahubalis' flex muscles in Bihar poll arena

Although many criminals are missing from electoral action this time, they have fielded their mothers, wives and other relatives to take their own place.

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Though entry of underworld dons in Bihar politics has long ceased to be a novelty, several of the likes of Mohd Shahabuddin, Pappu Yadav, Surajbhan Singh and Anand Mohan are missing from electoral action this time.

However, if not themselves, their wives or mothers have entered the fray as political parties keep in mind the winning edge.

Akhilesh Singh an independent nominee from Nawada, husband of former LJP MLA from Warsaliganj Aruna Devi, is crossing swords with Veena Singh, wife of Suraj Singh alias Surajbhan, LJP's sitting MP from Balia.

Surajbhan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment a few months ago in a murder case, failed to secure a stay on his conviction and thus could not contest.

A confidant of union minister and LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan, Surajbhan secured a party ticket for his wife.

Akhilesh has 21 criminal cases, including several relating to murder and attempt to murder pending against him.

Like Surajbhan, Shahabuddin and Pappu Yadav, who too failed to get a stay on their convictions, have fielded their kin.

Pappu Yadav, sitting RJD MP from Madhepura, was sentenced to life imprisonment for his alleged involvement in the murder of CPI(M) MLA from Purnia Ajit Sarkar in 1998 and is out on bail.

Pappu has fielded his mother Shanti Priya as an independent from Purnia and is being backed by the Congress.

Pappu's wife Ranjeet Ranjan, sitting LJP MP from Saharsa, is contesting as a Congress nominee from Supaul.

Mohammed Shahabuddin, the Siwan strongman and four-term RJD MP, also failed to get his conviction stayed in the kidnapping and suspected murder of CPI(ML) activist Chhotelal Gupta. Heena Shahab is contesting from Siwan on RJD ticket.

Vijay Kumar Shukla alias Munna Shukla, JD(U)'s sitting MLA from Lalganj, is flexing his muscles in the poll arena from Vaishali against RJD's Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Union minister for Rural Development.

Shukla, who was recently acquitted in a case relating to the murder of Gopalganj district magistrate G Krishnaiah on December 5, 1994, has ten cases pending against him including five of murder.

Shukla was awarded life term in jail by the trial court in the case, but was acquitted by the Patna High Court.

The Congress, which parted ways with Lalu Prasad's RJD and Paswan's LJP, has nominated Lovely Anand, wife of Anand Mohan, for the Sheohar seat which he had won twice in 1996 and 1998.

Lovely, a former MP from Vaishali, has three cases including those under the Arms Act and violation of the Representation of People's Act pending against her.

She too was awarded life imprisonment for inciting a mob that killed Gopalganj district magistrate Krishnaiah, who was done to death by those accompanying the cortege of underworld don with political ambitions Chhotan Shukla, brother of Munna Shukla, but was acquitted by the high court.

Prabhunath Singh, Bihar's ruling JD(U) candidate from Maharajganj and former leader of its parliamentary party, has two cases pending against him including one of murder.

Like them, Mohammed Anwarul Haq of BSP (Sheohar), Shamim Akhtar of Congress and CPI(ML)'s Virendra Prasad Gupta (Valmikinagar), CPI(ML)'s Yognath Mandal (Jhanjharpur), independent Vinod Paswan (Muzaffarpur) and BSP's Vijaywant Chaudhary and Congress' Sheel Kumar Rai (Ujiarpur) have criminal cases pending against them.

While all parties denounce criminalisation of politics, the winnability of the 'bahubalis' and their spouses almost invariably tilt their decision in favour of candidates with dubious backgrounds.
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