Gangster-turned-politician Anant Singh’s close aides trying to influence Mokama by-poll: BJP

PTI, Oct 9, 2022, 9:12 AM IST

The Bihar BJP has claimed before the Election Commission that close aides of gangster-turned-politician Anant Singh were trying to ”influence” by-election to Mokama assembly segment.

The by-poll has been necessitated by disqualification of Singh as an RJD MLA.

According to a statement issued by the BJP on Saturday, an email has been sent to the EC by office-bearers led by Sanjeev Chaurasia, MLA and state general secretary, underscoring that Singh’s wife Neelam Devi, ”the possible candidate”, was making rounds of Mokama along with Kartik Kumar, a key aide who resigned from the state cabinet recently because of controversy around his alleged involvement in a criminal case.

Singh, a four-time MLA from Mokama, lost his membership of the assembly earlier this year, following conviction by a court here in a case related to recovery of arms and explosives from his ancestral residence.

Although the RJD is the largest constituent of the seven-party ruling ‘Mahagathbandhan’, the coalition is yet to take a call on which of its allies will field a candidate from the seat.

The ‘Mahagathbandhan’ also includes Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), Congress and three Left parties.

Anant Singh had started his political career nearly a decade and a half ago with the JD(U) and won Mokama for the party twice before burning his bridges and retaining the seat as an Independent in 2015. He contested the 2020 assembly polls from the segment on an RJD ticket.

Neelam Devi had recently met Tejashwi Yadav, the deputy CM and RJD heir apparent, triggering speculations that the party may field her from the constituency nurtured by her husband.

Bypolls are scheduled on November 3 in Mokama and Gopalganj assembly segments of Bihar.

When asked about the allegations made by BJP, Yadav said, ”They stand no chance before ‘Mahagathbandhan’ which is going to win by-elections to both seats. Hence they are making desperate noises.” In Gopalganj, the by-election has been necessitated by the death of BJP MLA Subhash Singh.