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Expelled RJD leader and ex-Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav, elder son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, has announced his alliance with five minor parties ahead of the state Assembly elections due in barely three months. This partnership, he said, could “challenge Bihar’s established political order” by bringing about “social justice, social rights, and comprehensive change”.
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Hasanpur MLA Tej Pratap, who has even been “disowned” by the RJD first family, has positioned himself as the leader of this new front. His younger brother Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Bihar Assembly, is the RJD’s face in the upcoming polls.
Tej Pratap’s appeal lies primarily among a section of Yadav voters and among those “disillusioned” with mainstream politics. His religious imagery, temple visits, and claims of being a “spiritual leader” also resonate with voters.
After his ouster from the RJD, the fanbase that Tej Pratap had managed to garner will go through a fire test in the Mahua constituency from where he is contesting as an Independent in the Assembly polls.
Tej Pratap’s alliance might influence a few constituencies where the five parties have their core support bases. This may split the Opposition votes for the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan and help the ruling Nitish Kumar-led NDA in tight contests.
However, none of the five parties have significant grassroots networks, established booth-level presence, or substantial financial resources and will have to be mostly dependent on Tej Pratap’s leadership. Here is a look at the five parties:
Vikas Vanchit Insaan Party (VVIP)
The most prominent among Tej Pratap’s new allies is Pradeep Nishad, who heads the newly-formed VVIP. Nishad, also known as “Helicopter Baba”, was once a close associate of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani. Due to differences, allegedly over “not getting due respect in the party”, Nishad, a native of UP’s Mirzapur, left the VIP around 2021. He has formed the VVIP this year.
Launched on June 28 and subsequently allotted “ship” as its election symbol, the VVIP aims to represent the Nishad-Mallah community, traditionally associated with fishing and riverine occupation-based groups, which are currently represented by Sahani‘s party.
During the August 5 press conference held to announce their coalition, Tej Pratap expressed strong support for Nishad and described his outfit as the “original” party. He alleged that an “impostor” was running the VIP, who is currently a Mahagathbandhan ally.
“Mukesh Sahani is a bahurupiya (imposter) who has betrayed the community’s trust,” Nishad had alleged at an earlier event, referring to Sahani’s crossovers between the NDA and the INDIA bloc.
The VVIP’s emergence may lead to a split in the crucial Nishad vote, which constitutes about 4-8% of Bihar’s electorate. The Nishad community has a significant presence in Araria, Forbesganj, and some seats in the Kosi-Seemanchal region.
Bhojpuria Jan Morcha
The Bhojpuria Jan Morcha led by Bharat Singh ‘Sahyogi’ started off as an organisation and became a party in 2023. It claims to champion the cause of Bhojpuri-speaking communities in the Bhojpur-Rohtas belt. Bharat Singh has argued that the Bhojpuri culture and identity have been “systematically marginalised” in Bihar politics and has been actively working for the Bhojpuri community for years. His party had earlier announced its plans to contest all 243 seats in the Bihar Assembly polls. Singh’s activism for the Bhojpuri communities has helped his party garner influence in some areas.
Pragatisheel Janata Party
The Pragatisheel Janta Party, which has been a registered party since 2019, positions itself as a voice for agricultural workers and unemployed youth. Its founder Manoranjan Kumar Srivastav had contested the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections from Chapra constituency but managed to secure only 282 votes.
Wajib Adhikar Party
Vidyanand Ram, the founder of the Wajib Adhikar Party, told The Indian Express that his party was registered with the Election Commission in August, 2017.
“I contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Samastipur in 2019, and also the bypoll in the seat when its sitting MP Ram Chandra Paswan passed away,” Ram said. He added that his party contested from six seats in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections and four seats in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, although it drew a blank in these polls.
On his party’s new alliance, Ram said: “Tej Pratap ji is a big face, big politician and a person of big heart.”
Sanyukt Kisan Vikas Party
Founded by Sudhir Kumar, the Sanyukt Kisan Vikas Party, which had unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, claims to represent small and marginal farmers like sharecroppers. Kumar contested from the Nalanda seat in the 2020 Assembly polls and managed to secure the third place with a total of 25,291 votes.
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