Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, July 13
After independent candidate Pappu Yadav getting elected to Lok Sabha from Purnia last month, another independent Shankar Singh on Saturday was declared elected to Bihar Assembly in a the by-election from Rupauli, a segment of Purnia parliamentary constituency.
Shankar Singh, an upper caste strong man of the Seemanchal area, defeated both NDA and INDIA candidates. Ms Bima Bharti who was representing the constituency for the last 15 years was placed third. She had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections as RJD candidate last month.
Bima, who was a minister in Nitish Kumar cabinet, had deserted JDU when her claim as party candidate from Purnia Lom Sabha seat was denied.
Kaladhar Mandal, the nearest rival to the victorious Shankar Singh, is a JDU candidate. Shankar who was first elected to state assembly as LJP candidate in February, 2005 contested as an independent as NDA refused to field him.
While both the losers–JDU and RJD candidates– are from extremely backward castes. The winner is from upper caste coming from the Rajput community.
All senior leaders of NDA and INDIA had campaigned in the by-election. The Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhury, Union Minister Chirag Paswan led NDA campaign while leader of opposition, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had camped in the constituency.
