A ticket for my son

They are all seeking tickets for their sons. And they are not the only doting fathers of Bihar politics.

Whats common among BJPs Bihar president C P Thakur,JDU national spokesperson Shivanand Tiwari and state Congress leader Ashok Ram? They are all seeking tickets for their sons. And they are not the only doting fathers of Bihar politics. Prominent leaders seeking tickets for their sons this Assembly polls include JDU MPs Purnamasi Ram Gopalganj,Jagdish Sharma Jehanbad,Jaynarain Nishad Muzaffarpur and also former state Congress presidents Sadanand Singh and Ramjatan Sinha.

If RJD chief Lalu Prasad is worried that Sudhakar Singh,son of Buxar MP Jagdanand Singh,recently switched over to the BJP hoping for a ticket,Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,who had suspended Purnamasi Ram and Jagdish Sharma,has not only taken back the duo but has also reportedly assured tickets to their sons. The Congress,meanwhile,is wooing Vaishali MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh RJD with a ticket for his son.

While JDU spokesperson Shivanand Tiwari said his son Rahul alias Mantu Tiwari can take his own decisions,BJP state chief C P Thakur was more forthright. Just as a doctors son wants to become a doctor,its nothing unusual for a politicians son to enter his fathers trade, he said. Added BJP state vice-president Sanjay Mayukh: Sons of BJP leaders have been in politics for 15 years and are not brought to politics like Rahul Gandhi without doing any homework.

Mantu can be a headache for the JDU,as he can switch over to the RJD if denied a ticket. The only thing going against Mantu is his insistence on a ticket from a BJP quota seat,Ara. Besides,he had earlier embarrassed his father by associating with the Kisan Mahapanchayat leaders.

Despite Nitishs public outcry against Lalu promoting his family,the fact remains that the JDU has a longer list of son applicants than the other parties. While sitting Jhanjharpur Madhubani MLA Nitish Mishra son of former CM Jagannath Mishra,is most likely to get a ticket,JDU is also hard pressed to give a ticket to the son or wife of Jehanabad MP Jagdish Sharma and Gopalganj MP Purnamasi Rams son Vijay Ram from any reserved Assembly segment in East or West Champaran.

Muzaffarpur MP Jaynarain Nishad has been eying a ticket for son Ajay from either Minapur or Kudni in Muzaffarpur. With Nishad known for changing his political allegiance fast,JDU looks cornered to oblige him. Dharmendra Singh,son of Karakat MP Mahabali Singh who had left the RJD to join the JDU during the last Lok Sabha elections,has joined the RJD hoping for a ticket.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Narendra Singh has been seeking a ticket for his son from Jamui. Singhs claim is quite strong with his recent successful role,though not as a government emissary,in defusing the Lakhisarai hostage crisis.

Story continues below this ad

The story is no different for the BJP. Vivek Thakur wants a ticket from the newly-created Banikipore seat in Patna. With his father,C P Thakur,at the helm of affairs,he is most likely to get one. His chances can be stymied if the JDU is able to get the Digha seat from the BJP. With all three sitting BJP MLAs Nandkishore Yadav,Arun Sinha and Nitin Navin likely to be given tickets from Patna seats,Vivek may find it tough if the BJP doesnt get the Digha seat, said a senior BJP leader.

While Congress legislature party leader Ashok Ram is seeking ticket for son Atirek Ram,former state Congress president Sadanand Singh wants a ticket for son Subhanand from a Bhagalpur seat.