Setback for Nitish Kumar as RJD wrests Bihar's Jokihat seat from JD(U)
Patna: In a major setback for the ruling alliance in Bihar, RJD candidate Shahnawaz Alam defeated JD(U) candidate Murshid Alam by a high margin of 41,225 votes in bypolls.
Upbeat over the victory RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav took a dig at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar saying that the JD(U) candidate was defeated because CM Nitish Kumar insulted people’s mandate and switched sides with the “communal forces”.
Terming the victory as a “defeat of opportunism”, Tejashwi Yadav said, “Those who insulted people’s mandate got defeated. Laluism has won over the opportunism in Bihar. The Jokihat result is just a trailer, we are confident that the NDA will lose 2019 general elections”.
Also Read: Victory of 'Laluvaad', says Tejashwi Yadav after RJD wins Jokihat seat in Bihar
This was the third success in elections under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav who has been keeping RJD intact in the absence of his father Lalu Yadav. The RJD in March had won Jehanabad assembly and Araria Lok Sabha by-elections by a comfortable margin.
Jokihat assembly seat is a part of Muslim dominated Araria Lok Sabha constituency which has been the stronghold of late RJD MP Mohammad Taslimuddin.
With 2019 general elections approaching, the Jokihat poll was considered crucial for all political parties especially the ruling JD(U) and the RJD.
Senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwary said, “The victory in Jokihat has only established Tejashwi Yadav as a prominent leader in Bihar. He has been working hard to keep RJD intact in the absence of his father Lalu Yadav”.
Jokihat RJD candidate Shahnawaz Alam also attributed his victory to Tejashwi Yadav and called him “a youth leader with a vision for development”.
Shahnawaz Alam, the youngest son of RJD veteran Mohammad Taslimuddin secured 81,240 votes. The assembly constituency was considered JD(U)’s traditional seat as his elder brother Sarfaraz Alam had won the seat in last four assembly elections- February 2005, October 2005, 2010 and 2015.
By-elections on this seat were necessitated after sitting JD(U) MLA Sarfaraz Alam resigned and joined the RJD. He was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Araria Lok Sabha Constituency which was earlier held by his father Mohammad Taslimuddin who passed away in 2017.
According to political analysts, the high margin victory shows that the RJD has managed to maintain its popularity among the minority vote base despite cases against party chief Lalu Yadav and his family.
Observers are also of the view that besides Nitish Kumar breaking away from the grand secular alliance in July 2017, cases against regional leaders including RJD chief Lalu Yadav played a vital role in NDA’s defeat.
