Bihar's twin roadshows expose hypocrisy of NDA, Grand Alliance on criminalisation

Two roadshows held on Monday in and around Patna—onein Danapurand another in Mokama, nearly 85 kilometres apart—have laid bare the deep contradictionsand hypocrisy of Bihar’s politics, asboth the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Grand Alliance rallied behind candidates facing serious criminal allegations despite tall public commitments to clean governance.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

‘Anant Kumar Singh (often listed as “Anant Singh”) was the centrepiece of the 30-kilometre NDA roadshow in Mokama, led by Union MinisterandJD(U) leader Lallan Singh and BJP Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, who isalso being projected as one of the NDA’s chief ministerial aspirants. Singh, acriminal-turned-politician, has long been a dominant figure in the region. His election affidavit lists 38 ongoing criminal cases, including seven murders, Ilattempted murders, and four kidnappings. He was also convicted in a case involving illegal possession of an AK-47rifle, hand grenades, and cartridges, for which he was sentenced to ten years in prison.

Singh was arrested last week for his alleged role in the death of another criminal-turned-politician, Dular Chand Yadav, duringa political event.