Jan Suraaj declares candidates for by-elections to Belaganj and Imamganj

Patna, Oct 19 (IANS) Political strategist turned politician Prashant Kishor on Saturday fielded Khilafat Hussain and Jitendra Paswan from the Belaganj and Imamganj constituencies, respectively, for the upcoming by-elections in Bihar.

Hussain is a well-known figure in Gaya, having served as the Head of the Mathematics Department at Mirza Ghalib College from 2002 to 2017.

With a long academic career, Hussain has been a respected mathematician. He previously worked as a lecturer in the same college from 1976 to 2002. His family's involvement in academia continues, as his daughter-in-law, Habiba Bint Mansoor, is a demonstrator in the Geology Department, and his son, Muzaffar Ahmed Arman, is a professor of the Persian language at Mirza Ghalib College.

Kishor has strategically selected Jitendra Paswan, a well-known paediatrician for the Imamganj seat.

Paswan is highly respected in the Sherghati region for his medical expertise and humanitarian work, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when he provided free medical services.

His reputation for charging minimal consultancy fees and his background as a local leader, having served as a Mukhiya's representative, bolstered his candidacy.

In Belaganj, the party has fielded Khilafat Hussain, a prominent academic figure, to challenge the traditional political landscape dominated by the RJD.

Belaganj has long been a stronghold of the Yadav community with RJD leader Surendra Prasad Yadav winning the seat seven times and vacating it after being elected Member of Parliament from Jehanabad.

The Yadav-Muslim (MY) vote bank is crucial for the RJD, and by selecting a Muslim candidate like Professor Hussain, the Jan Suraaj Party aims to weaken this traditional equation, potentially fracturing the RJD's hold on the seat.

In Imamganj, a seat historically dominated by Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S), the Jan Suraaj Party has tactically fielded Paswan, a Dalit, to challenge the expected NDA candidate.

With Manjhi's resignation from the MLA post after being elected to the Lok Sabha from the Gaya seat in 2024, it was widely expected that a member of Manjhi's family would contest the Imamganj seat.

Understanding that the NDA will likely field a Mahadalit candidate, Kishor has positioned Paswan as a direct rival, leveraging his local popularity and Dalit identity to compete in this crucial constituency.