Samastipur, a district in Bihar, has been a hotbed of political activity for decades. Known for the assassination of former railways minister L.N. Mishra in 1975 and the arrest of BJP leader L.K. Advani during his famous Ram Rath Yatra in 19901, the district is once again in the limelight. In an interesting turn of events, the children of two ministers from the Nitish Kumar government, both belonging to his party JD(U), are likely to face off in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Shambhavi Choudhary, the daughter of Ashok Kumar Choudhary, a minister and confidant of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, will be contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Samastipur as the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) or NDA candidate. On the other hand, Sunny Hazari, the son of another Janata Dal (United) minister and erstwhile Nitish confidant Maheshwar Hazari, has joined the Congress — hoping to bag a nomination from the same seat.
The Congress has yet to announce its candidate from the seat. If Sunny Hazari is nominated, the Samastipur reserved seat will see a contest between the children of two JD(U) ministers, on rival tickets. This has led to a heightened sense of anticipation and excitement among the electorate.
Both candidates have expressed confidence about their prospects. “I do not know if I will be given a ticket, but I will work to strengthen the party in the Lok Sabha seat,” Sunny Hazari told The Print. Meanwhile, Shambhavi Choudhary said: “Just watch how much the margin will be”.
Interestingly, both ministers have distanced themselves from their children’s political ambitions. Maheshwar Hazari reaffirmed his allegiance to the CM, stating, “Sunny’s decision to join the Congress is his own. I have nothing to do with it. My loyalty is entirely towards Nitish Kumar”1. Similarly, Ashok Choudhary is actively campaigning for his daughter, free from any dilemma since both LJP and JD(U) are part of the NDA2.
The elections in Samastipur are scheduled in the fourth phase on 13 May1. As the date approaches, the political temperature in Samastipur is set to rise. The face-off between Shambhavi Choudhary and Sunny Hazari, if it materializes, will be one of the most closely watched contests in these elections.