New Delhi: RJD candidate Anant Kumar Singh, accused of seven murders and currently in jail under a UAPA case, is leading with 52.99 per cent of total votes, ahead of JD(U)’s Rajiv Lochan Narayan Singh in Patna’s Mokama constituency at noon.
Singh, who is known as ‘chotte sarkar’, first contested as a JD(U) candidate in 2005 but after a fallout with Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, he fought and won as an Independent in 2015.
He is now among 1,201 candidates facing criminal cases this year, according to an Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report released earlier this month.
Out of all major parties, RJD has fielded the most candidates with criminal records — 98 — followed by 76 from BJP, 70 from LJP, 56 from JD(U), 45 from Congress and 29 from BSP. Here’s how some of the prominent musclemen have fared in Bihar as of 1pm.
Narendra Kumar Pandey (alias Sunil Pandey): Four-time MLA Pandey, once investigated by the National Investigation Agency for possessing an AK-47, is trailing sitting CPI(ML) MLA Sudama Prasad in Tarari constituency. While Prasad, contesting as an Independent, has 41.57 per cent of votes, Pandey has 38.37 per cent votes so far. Meanwhile, BJP’s Kaushal Kumar Vidyarthi has 7.88 per cent and RJD’s Santosh Singh Chandravanshi has 1.43 per cent.
Sanjiv Chaurasia: Sitting BJP MLA Sanjiv Chaurasia, seeking re-election from Digha constituency, is leading with 57.21 per cent votes. He faces charges ranging from assaulting a woman and attempt to murder, to theft. His challengers, CPI (ML)’s Shashi Yadav and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party’s Sanjay Kumar Sinha, have 29.45 per cent and 3.67 per cent votes, respectively.
Rit Lal Ray (alias Ritlal Yadav): RJD’s gangster-turned-politician Ritlal Yadav is leading with 48.45 per cent of the votes counted so far in Danapur constituency, Patna. He is ahead of sitting BJP MLA Asha Devi, who has 39.7 per cent of votes. He allegedly shot Devi’s husband 17 years ago.
Abhay Kumar Sinha: With 31.5 per cent of votes, JD(U)’s Abhay Kumar Sinha is trailing sitting RJD MLA Surendra Prasad Yadav, who has 47.8 per cent, in the Belaganj constituency of Gaya district. Sinha, who is facing 14 criminal cases, had won the Tikari seat in 2015.
Mahboob Alam: CPI(ML) Liberation’s sitting MLA Mahboob Alam, seeking re-election from Balrampur constituency, is leading with 51.11 per cent votes, ahead of LJP’s Sangita Devi and RJD’s Azad Khan, who have roughly 4 and 2 per cent of votes, respectively. Vikassheel Insaan Party’s candidate Barun Kumar Jha is behind Alam with 24.89 per cent of votes. Alam won his seat in 2015 beating Jha, who had fought on a BJP ticket. Alam faces 14 criminal charges from murder, kidnapping and theft to harbouring dacoits.
This is an updated version of the report
Kindly release this news before voting.