It is a well-known fact that elections involve a lot of money and manpower. The Election Commission is trying its best to clean up the electoral system, but the fact remains the same. Most parties are going with the candidates who can provide funds and muscle power. The historic ruling of the Supreme Court which barred convicted people from fighting elections has forced the tainted candidates to put up their wives or some other close relatives in the race.

The case is the same in Bihar. So, here’s a list of tainted candidates from different political parties:
One of the ‘bahubalis’ contesting elections in Bihar is Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav who is in the fray from Madhepura as an RJD candidate. He was acquitted in 2013 in the 1998 murder case of Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Ajit Sarkar. Another example is of former RJD MP Mohammed Shahabuddin from Siwan whose name was a law in his area but since his conviction and life term in a murder case, his wife Heena Shahab has been contesting the elections from the area. RJD’s Prabhunath Singh, trying to defend his fortress in Maharajganj, is another politician who is known for his strong arm tactics. Mohammad Taslimuddin (RJD), a former union minister from Araria, is also one of those who have a long list of criminal charges against their name. RJD leaders – Jehanabad candidate Surender Yadav and Nawada nominee Rajballabh Yadav – are also accused in many criminal cases.

As the Bharatiya Janata Party has been claiming that it will provide a clean government, it too has fielded several names with criminal records. BJP MLA Nityanand Rai contesting from Ujiyarpur and his colleague Satish Chand Dubey from Valmikinagar are accused in murder, kidnapping and extortion cases. The party has once again given Rama Devi, the sitting MP from Sheohar, a ticket. Rama Devi’s husband was the dreaded gangster Brij Bihari Prasad, who was killed several years ago.

The Lok Janshakti Party also has a long list of candidates with a tainted past. Former MP Suraj Bhan Singh from LJP has been convicted in a murder case and is barred from contesting elections, so his wife has been contesting elections on his behalf. LJP’s Vaishali candidate Rama Kishore Singh alias Rama Singh is another dreaded name.

The ruling party in Bihar i.e. JDU too has its share of tainted candidates. Some examples are Manoranjan Singh alias Dhumal Singh from Maharajganj and Manoj Singh from Siwan. JDU has also sought Anand Mohan Singh’s help for Sharad Yadav in Madhepura as the murder convict Rajput leader still wields considerable influence in the area. JDU MLA Annu Shukla from Vaishali is the wife of strongman and former MLA Vijay Kumar Shukla alias Munna Shukla who has been convicted and jailed for life for killing his rival Brij Bihari Prasad.

Former MP Anand Mohan Singh, serving a life term in the murder case of Gopalganj DM G Krishnaiah, has got a Samajwadi Party ticket for his wife Lovely Anand.

[Image Attribute: Silicon India]