Photo Credit: The Suncity News
Patna, March 20, 2024: In a dramatic twist of Bihar politics, Ashok Mahto (62)—a convicted Bahubali—married Anita Kumari (46) in a temple at Karota village, Patna district, on Tuesday, fueling speculation about his political ambitions.
A day after the wedding, Ashok Mahto and his wife visited the residence of former Bihar chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi, where they sought blessings for a “long and happy married life.”
“I came here to take the blessing of Lalu Prasad Yadav. He blessed us for a long life,” Mahto told reporters.
Ashok Mahto’s political plans behind the marriage:
According to sources within the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Mahto’s marriage is part of a strategy to enter politics by proxy.
Being a convicted person, Mahto is barred from contesting elections. Insiders claim he plans to field his wife, Anita Kumari, as a candidate from the Munger Lok Sabha constituency to challenge Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, former national president of the Janata Dal (United).
Ashok Mahto neither confirmed nor denied to reporters that a senior RJD leader advised him to marry to pave the way for his wife’s candidacy, saying only, “If people of Bihar bless us, we will definitely contest the election.”
Past history of Ashok Mahto:
Once the most feared Bahubali in Bihar’s Nawada region during the 1990s, Ashok Mahto was involved in numerous cases.
Mahto’s notoriety even inspired popular culture; the Netflix web series “Khaki: The Bihar Chapter” is based on real events involving IPS officer Amit Lodha, with its main villain modeled on Mahto’s life.
The public blessing from RJD stalwarts Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi is expected to spark political controversy in Bihar, particularly since Lok Sabha leaders have not officially commented on the meeting. The development hints at the possibility of a high-voltage contest in Munger if Anita Kumari enters the fray.
Also Read: Strong man Ashok Mahto claimed his wife will defeat Lalan Singh in the battle of Munger in LS poll.
EOM.