Sheohar: JD(U) Nominates Lovely Anand, Wife Of Gangster-Turned-Politician Anand Mohan Singh (image-Facebook/LovelyAnand)

Lovely Anand, wife of Bihar leader and gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh, convicted of killing an IAS officer, has been fielded by the Janata Dal (United) as the NDA candidate from the party’s stronghold Sheohar Lok Sabha constituency.

After spending 16 years in jail, her husband was released after JD(U) leader and state chief minister Nitish Kumar changed the state prison rules that previously barred remission of jail terms for those convicted for the murder of a public servant on duty. Anand Mohan, who also faces around 47 criminal cases, from kidnapping to unlawful assembly, was convicted in the murder case of G. Krishnaiah, district magistrate of Gopalganj, in 1996.

Anand, a Rajput candidate, has contested the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 and the assembly elections of 2015 in Sheohar but could not claim victory in either.

The Lok Sabha constituency was earlier held by a three-time MP from the BJP, Rama Devi. She is a member of the Vaishya community, which makes up a majority of the constituency. Anand’s nomination, as a non-Vaishya and JD(U) candidate, has caused dismay among the community. At the same time, PM Modi’s influence is expected to influence the voters to cast their vote in favour of Anand.

Both Anand and her husband remain confident of the same. “There are many days to go for the polls. They will come around. They are not our captive voters anyway, but voters of Modi. One Modi rally here will change everything,” Anand Mohan stated, as quoted by The Indian Express.

The Sheohar Lok Sabha constituency comprises Vidhan Sabhas such as Madhuban, Chiraia, Dhaka, Sheohar, Riga, and Belsand. While four of the constituencies are represented by the BJP, the other two are ruled by the RJD.

The population demographic comprises SC (12.79 percent) and Muslims (19.44 percent).