RJD is aiming to intrude into vote banks of NDA in Bihar.

Patna, March 22, 2024: The seat-sharing arrangement within the Mahagathbandhan may still be pending, but the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has moved ahead with its strategy for the Lok Sabha elections by announcing five candidates aimed at intruding into the core vote banks of the NDA.

The Lalu Prasad Party, under the leadership of Lalu Prasad Yadav, has fielded Kumar Sarvjeet (Gaya), Shrawan Kushwaha (Nawada), Abhay Kushwaha (Aurangabad), Archana Ravidas (Jamui), and Jayprakash Narayan Yadav (Banka). Party insiders say the candidate selection reflects a calculated social engineering plan to counter the BJP-JD(U) axis.

RJD fielded leaders of the backward castes to contest key constituencies:

Traditionally seen as the party of the MY (Muslim-Yadav) equation, Lalu Prasad Party is now pushing the BAAP formula—Bahujan, Agda, Aadhi Abadi (women), and Poor—a line emphasized by Tejashwi Yadav. The choice of candidates indicates RJD’s attempt to expand beyond its core base and dent NDA’s support among Kushwahas, Dalits, and upper castes.

Nawada: With Bhumihars and Kushwahas as the BJP’s traditional base, Lalu Prasad Party has fielded Shrawan Kushwaha to consolidate Kushwaha, Muslim, Yadav and Dalit votes.

Aurangabad: Known for its Rajput dominance, Lalu Prasad Party has chosen Abhay Kushwaha, banking on the MY+Kushwaha arithmetic to challenge NDA’s upper-caste bastion.

Jamui (SC-reserved): Against sitting MP Chirag Paswan, Lalu Prasad Party has fielded Archana Ravidas, hoping to mobilize Dalit, Mahadalit, women and the sizeable Muslim-Yadav vote bank.

Gaya (SC-reserved): With NDA’s Jitan Ram Manjhi in the fray, RJD has bet on Kumar Sarvjeet (Paswan), expecting division in Manjhi’s votes to tilt the balance in its favor.

Banka: Veteran leader Jayprakash Narayan Yadav has been fielded, reflecting RJD’s strategy to retain influence in southern Bihar.

Lalu Prasad’s party is concentrating on MY and BAAP equations:

“RJD is not only a party of MY but also of BAAP, Candidate selection reflects this vision, and the NDA is scared of defeat,” said Mritunjay Tiwari, RJD spokesperson.

Analysts say Lalu Prasad Yadav’s choices are designed to chip away at NDA’s Lav-Kush (Kurmi-Koeri) vote base, while keeping RJD’s traditional My support intact.

Also Read: PM Narendra Modi targets RJD and Congress in Karakat and unveils Rs 48,500 crore projects.

EOM.