Jamui: RJD's Archana Ravidas To Face Chirag Paswan's Brother-In-Law Arun Bharti (image-Facebook/Archana Kumari RaviDas)

One of the 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar, the Jamui Lok Sabha constituency will witness a contest between Rashtirya Janata Dal’s (RJD) Archana Ravidas and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) candidate Arun Bharti, party chief Chirag Paswan’s brother-in-law.

Dominated by Yadav, Paswan, and Rajput castes, the Jamui Lok Sabha seat has been the stronghold of Paswan since 2014. Securing 2.8 lakh votes in the 2014 elections, Paswan defeated RJD’s Sudhansu Kumar Bhaskar who secured 1.9 lakh votes. In the 2019 elections, Paswan won 5.2 lakh votes, securing the seat for another term.

With a formidable rival as Paswan, Archana Ravidas will have a difficult time securing victory especially sinch she does not have any roots in the region. Coming from an influential political family, the Mahagathbandhan candidate is the wife of local RJD leader Mukesh Yadav.

Recently, during an RJD meeting, some people allegedly verbally abused Chirag Paswan and his mother from the stage. The video of the instance has gone viral. However, Ravidas claimed that it was simply an attempt to malign the reputation of the party ahead of the elections.

The ruling NDA has nominated Arun Bharti who joined politics after the death of his father-in-law Ram Vilas Paswan, founder of LPJ and former Union Minister. The 48-year-old party leader accompanied Chirag Paswan during his public campaigns in the Jamui constituency.

The Jamui constituency comprises Vidhan Sabhas including Tarapur, Sheikhpura, Sikandra (SC reserved), Jamui, Jhajha and Chakai. There is an SC population of 17.15 percent, ST population of 3.27 percent and Muslim population of 10.58 percent.

Reserved for scheduled castes, the Jamui constituency has a total of 17.6 lakh voters with nearly 2.5 lakh economically backward voters (EBC), and an equal amount of OBC Yadav voters, and Dhanuk, Koeri, and Kurmi voters.