Zee News: Sasaram: Tuesday,
April 08, 2014.
Outgoing Lok
Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar will bank on votes of backward castes and Muslims
besides Dalits to win this Parliamentary seat for third consecutive time amid
allegations that she has made more visits to foreign countries than to her
constituency.
Accusing
Kumar of neglecting her constituency, BJP's prime ministerial candidate
Narendra Modi recently claimed that Kumar had little time to work for her
constituency and it was neglected and under-developed.
According to
an RTI filed by a social activist, in the last five years, Kumar spent 176 days
abroad and only 58 days in her constituency.
There are
over 2.5 lakh Dalit voters out of total 15 lakh electors in Sasaram which has
six assembly constituencies, three each in Rohtas district and neighbouring
Kaimur district. While Sasaram, Chenari (reserved) and Karghar fall in Rohtas,
Bhabua, Mohania (reserved, SC) and Chainpur are in Kaimur district.
Though 11
candidates are in the fray in this SC reserved seat, going to polls on April
10, Kumar's fight is likely to be mainly with BJP's Cheddi Paswan, who had
defeated her twice in 1989 and 1991 as a Janata Dal candidate. Paswan joined
BJP recently.
After losing
to Paswan, Kumar did not contest from Sasaram and instead fought from Uttar
Pradesh and Delhi. She returned to Sasaram in 2004 when she won it for the
first time. She retained the seat in 2009.
Kumar's
father and Dalit icon Jagjivan Ram won from this seat eight times from
1952-1984.
Development
is likely to be a major issue this time.
Dwarka Singh
Kharwar, former head of Peepardih panchayat, says there are no roads in
villages and people have to walk almost 20-km to come to market.
Head of Garh
panchayat, Moti Uroan, says people in areas in Kaimur mountain range still long
for drinking water and irrigation despite having a high-profile representative.
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