The Jamui Lok Sabha constituency is an SC category seat among Bihar’s 40 parliamentary constituencies. It encompasses the entire Jamui district and parts of Munger and Sheikhpura districts. The Jamui constituency, currently with the LJP, consists of six Legislative Assembly segments: Tarapur in Munger district, Sheikhpura in Sheikhpura district, Sikandra (SC), Jamui, Jhajha, and Chakai in Jamui district. Voting for Lok Sabha election on the Jamui seat will take place in the first phase of polls on April 19. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
Key Facts About the Jamui (SC) Seat
Jamui is an important seat in Bihar. The constituency has a total of 17.6 lakh voters, with most being rural voters.
- Caste affiliations are the most dominant factor influencing elections in Bihar. This holds true for Jamui as well, where almost 89.5% of the voters come from rural areas. Yadavs are one of the major castes in the constituency, and are seen as troublemakers by the SC, ST and the OBC’s.
- Hindus form around 89% of the vote here in this mostly rural seat. The prime minister is very popular in the seat and so are certain Hindutva issues such as the Ram Mandir inauguration which has touched the hearts of Hindus in the seat.
- Jamui Medical College is being constructed. Its foundation stone has been laid but work could not be completed last year. The people of Jamui are upset over this. The medical college is expected to generate many jobs.
- The construction work of Kendriya Vidyalaya in Jhajha, Jamui has been completed at a cost of about Rs 19 crore. It has been built on 8 acres of land which was provided by the Railways. It is the region’s first Kendriya Vidyalaya and has been a welcome development considering the limited number of high-quality schools.
- Under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme by the central government, the railway station in Jamui and Simultala is set to undergo a huge transformation. Simulatala falls in the Jamui district. The station building is getting upgraded, a 12-meter-wide foot over bridge is being constructed, and lift & escalator being installed.
- The construction of two highways, NH-333 and NH-333A, has enhanced connectivity and facilitated economic activity in the area. Recently, a ring road has also been announced to improve intra-city connectivity in the Jamui district. According to on ground reports existing roads have been widened and upgraded, while the internal road network, particularly in rural areas, has also seen considerable improvement.
- Central government schemes under the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency have played a crucial role in funding and supporting these infrastructure projects.
- However, despite the progress, Jamui faces a unique challenge viz. bridges. The district is crisscrossed by numerous rivers, and the existing bridges are often inadequate to handle the increasing traffic and transportation needs.
2019 Election Results and 2024 Candidates
In Jamui, it is a straight fight between the NDA and the INDI alliance led by RJD and Congress. Chirag Paswan (LJP) is the sitting MP from Jamui since 2014. He was preceded by Bhudeo Choudhary from JD(U). The LJP has fielded Arun Bharti, brother-in-law of Chirag Paswan, from this seat for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Chirag Paswan has relinquished his seat in Jamui and will be contesting from Hajipur.
The RJD has nominated Archana Ravidas, who belongs to the Dalit community, as its candidate for Jamui. BSP’s candidate Sakaldev Das also belongs to the same community as RJD’s Archana Ravidas.
Who Stands Where
Here’s a look at the current political situation in Jamui and how the major parties in the fray are placed.
LJP
The Lok Janshakti Party has fielded Arun Bharti, brother-in-law of Chirag Paswan, from this seat. Chirag Paswan has relinquished his seat in Jamui and will be contesting from Hajipur. The LJP (R) is representing the NDA and is contesting in five seats namely Jamui, Hajipur, Vaishali, Samastipur and Khagaria.
Paswan has been holding this seat since 2014. In these ten years, the LJP has significantly improved its stronghold in Jamui, and the party has expanded in terms of funds, workers and public support. Paswan is perceived as the tallest leader in the party after his father Ram Vilas Paswan’s demise. However, there is a level of anti-incumbency that he is faced with, which is why he has chosen the safe rout of shifting seats this time.
While the opposition has accused him of abandoning Jamui, his narrative is that he is placing his most trusted family member, his brother-in-law, in his stead.
A big challenge is that Paswan is leaving behind an underwhelming legacy in the constituency. While the LJP has improved politically, the amount of work that was expected by the residents here (owing to Chirag Paswan’s national stature, closeness to BJP high command and youth) has not been reflected on work he has done on the ground for voters.
The LJP’s fortunes have been bolstered by support from the JD(U) which also has a considerable vote bases in the seat.
Other smaller players like Upendra Kushwaha and Jeetan Ram Manjhi also bring certain backward caste groups with them in this seat.
All this is cemented by the Modi factor, should give Arun Bharti a good shot at winning. The prime minister is very popular in the seat and so are certain Hindutva issues such as the Ram Mandir inauguration which has touched the hearts of Hindus in the seat. Hindus form around 89% of the vote here in this mostly rural seat. Even members of the Yadav community have been accepting of Modi and will vote for BJP in his name.
Paswan has been struggling for relevance since he was ousted from the parent party by his uncle, Pashupati Paras, shortly before the Bihar Assembly Elections in 2021.
The division between Paswan and Paras has created a new dynamic, with both factions vying for the support of the Paswan community. Paras, although publicly has promised to support NDA, is extremely upset with Chirag being given the Hajipur seat which he had represented.
Chirag is treading cautiously in selecting candidates and banking more on close family members to ensure there is no repeat of a 2021 scenario.
RJD
RJD has nominated Archana Ravidas, who belongs to the Dalit community, as its candidate for Jamui.
There is a considerable population of Dalits in general and Ravidas community in particular in Jamui. Her candidacy could potentially consolidate votes which have traditionally lean towards the RJD-led alliance.
However, her marriage to a Yadav man has caused friction within her own caste.
Her attacks on Chirag Paswan have focused on how he has abandoned Jamui, and how the constituency has not benefited from electing him for 10 years.
BSP
BSP is contesting elections on 4 seats in Bihar, with one of them is Jamui. Interestingly BSP’s candidate Sakaldev Das also belongs to the same community as RJD’s Archana Ravidas.
The Ravidas vote bank is already split due to Archana’s husband being a Yadav. Sakaldev could further muddy the waters and draw away votes from Archana. This will inevitably give the NDA a huge advantage.
Key Factors and Election Issues
From anti-incumbency to farmer issues, Jamui is witnessing multiple issues as it goes to polls. Here’s a look at the main issues in the Jamui constituency.
Anti-Incumbency
There is an anti-incumbency against the LJP, and especially Chirag Paswan, in the constituency. On the ground reports say this is due to a distinct lack of infrastructural development, and a dearth of universities and colleges. The long-promised railway line between Jhajha and Chakai has also failed to take shape. However, LJP(R) remains a politically strong force.
Hindutva
According to on ground reports, the issue of Hindutva and the role of Ram Mandir in uniting Hindus will play a huge role in the upcoming elections. Factors like CAA, Article 370 etc. are expected to yield results in favour of the NDA.
Farmer Issues
There are issues with maintenance of dams, unfinished dam construction, as well as major irrigation problems from Chakai to Sikandra which have miffed farmers. Many other promised projects have failed to take off. The Kundghat project, a proposed dam and irrigation scheme, has been long delayed. Despite promises and foundation stones being laid, the project has seen little to no progress. Similarly, the Chaki project, another irrigation scheme, has not even begun despite announcements and initial plans. The lack of functional irrigation projects has a cascading effect on farmers in Jamui. Water scarcity makes it difficult to cultivate crops, leading to reduced yields and financial losses. This also contributes to the larger problem of farmer distress and emigration in the region. However, there is no effect regarding the farmers’ protest.
Unemployment & Emigration
As is the case with most of Bihar, unemployment, especially among the youth, remains a major issue. The youth of Jamui are disgruntled over the lack of local jobs and are being forced to migrate in search of livelihood. This has also impacted Jamui’s demography, like all other districts in the state. The youth population is mostly out of the state, while those who stay back are forced to live on negligible wages.
Eradication of Naxalism
According to reports, the eradication of Naxalism from Jamui in the last 10 years under the central and state governments is a major achievement. People believe that under Chirag Paswan’s (and his late father’s) efforts, Jamui has been able to free itself from the clutches of naxalism which had plagued the region for a long time. Bihar police, in co-ordination with National Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other concerned wings of the government, have intensified crackdown on cultivation of illegal poppy, a major source of income for the Naxals. Maoists are now confined to the hilly areas in Jamui as SSB and CRPF have made permanent camps here. This is also seen as the Center’s greatest achievement in the area.
NOTA
The None of the Above (NOTA) option has emerged as a notable factor in previous elections, signaling voter discontent. In both 2019 and 2014, NOTA garnered significant votes, highlighting the electorate’s demand for better representation. The constituency’s representation in the assembly has also further diversified with many independents and parties like Janata Dal United (JDU), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and Hindustani Awami Morcha (HAM) all winning assembly seats.
Additional Train Stoppages
Even with just 2 railway platforms, the Jamui station now boasts stoppages of express and superfast trains which did not earlier stop here. This has brought convenience to the people in the region and is seen as a major positive step to improve Jamui’s connectivity. However, people have demanded more trains. Connectivity with the rest of south Bihar remains an issue. The number of trains connecting Delhi to Jamui has also not increased.
Comments
0 comment