Patna: As campaigning reaches its peak for Tirhut teachers’ constituency of Bihar Legislative Council, the electoral landscape in this litchi-producing belt has transformed into a high-stakes, triangular showdown. With polling scheduled for Oct 23, the electorate of registered educators will decide whether to uphold the traditional Left-leaning stronghold or embrace BJP or opt for Jan Suraaj. Altogether, 11 candidates are locked in the fray.The incumbent MLC, Sanjay Kumar Singh of CPI, is pushing hard to secure a hat-trick of victories. Singh, a veteran teacher with over 40 years’ experience at B R Ambedkar University, Muzaffarpur, benefits from deeply entrenched professional networks. His position is further solidified by the backing of the principal opposition RJD under Mahagathbandhan alliance, preventing any split in secular votes. On Oct 14, State-Level Postgraduate +2 Teachers’ Association officially mobilised in his favour, citing his persistent advocacy for administrative reforms and pending teacher arrears.However, Sanjay’s path to a third term is fraught with robust challenges. BJP has launched a resource-heavy campaign after fielding former MLC Narendra Prasad Singh. Running a tightly coordinated ground game alongside its ally, JD(U), the ruling NDA has deployed top political machinery. High-profile functionaries like health minister Nishant Kumar have actively urged academic networks to vote en masse for the NDA nominee.Compounding the arithmetic is the entry of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj, which has fielded Shyam Nandan Yadav, state secretary of Association of Teachers’ Training Colleges. Jan Suraaj’s emphasis on structural educational reforms threatens to siphon off educated voters from the incumbent’s core base.The race is further complicated by prominent independent candidatures. Bhushan Kumar Jha—Jan Suraaj’s initially announced candidate who split from the party over internal disputes—and former Congress media head Rajesh Rathorre are both contesting independently, making the ultimate outcome highly unpredictable. With the counting of votes set for Oct 27, Tirhut remains the most crucial litmus test for the traditional parties and an emerging outfit.
