Laloo Prasad Yadav Takes On Lalu's Daughter Rohini Acharya In Bihar's Saran Lok Sabha Seat
laloo prasad yadav takes on lalu’s daughter rohini acharya in bihar’s saran lok sabha seat
New Delhi: In a surprising turn of events, Rohini Acharya, daughter of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, faces an unexpected challenger in her bid to reclaim the Saran Lok Sabha seat once held by her father. The contender in question is a local Saran district farmer bearing the same name as the renowned socialist leader – Laloo Prasad Yadav.
Yadav, representing the Rashtriya Jansambhavna Party (RJP), submitted his nomination papers for the Saran Lok Sabha seat on April 26, setting the stage for an intriguing electoral showdown. Notably, this namesake candidate has a track record of participating in various elections, having previously filed nominations for the 2022 and 2017 presidential polls.
Despite facing rejection in the 2017 election due to insufficient endorsement from required proposers, Yadav remains resolute in his pursuit of electoral success. In a recent phone interview with TOI, he conveyed his determination, stating, “I have been contesting Lok Sabha polls from Saran constituency for the last several terms. I had contested against former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi as well. This time, I am contesting against her daughter Rohini Acharya.”
Undeterred by being labelled as a ‘dharti pakad’ (one who clings on to the earth) or a ‘vote katwa’ (one who divides votes) by opponents, Yadav continues to focus on his agricultural and social work endeavours. His financial affidavit reveals a modest asset portfolio, with Rs 5 lakh cash in hand and movable assets worth Rs 17.60 lakh, supplemented by his wife’s assets valued at Rs 5.20 lakh.
Despite the financial asymmetry between him and his opponents, Yadav exudes confidence in his ability to garner support from the Saran electorate.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections in Saran, BJP candidate Rajiv Pratap Rudy clinched victory with an impressive margin of 138,411 votes. Securing 499,986 votes, Rudy garnered a notable 53.00% vote share, overpowering RJD candidate Chandrika Roy, who managed 361,575 votes, representing 38.32% of the votes.
In the preceding 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, Rajiv Pratap Rudy emerged victorious yet again, amassing 355,120 votes, translating to a significant 41.12% vote share. His closest contender was Rabri Devi of the RJD, who secured 314,172 votes, accounting for 36.38% of the votes. Rajiv Pratap Rudy’s victory margin over Rabri Devi stood at 40,948 votes.
Bihar’s Saran Lok Sabha Constituency will hold elections on May 20 in phase 5 of polling. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.