New Delhi [India], April 28 : Bihar's Khagaria Lok Sabha constituency, from where candidates of different parties win in different elections, will go to polls on May 7.
This time the constituency will witness a direct contest between INDIA bloc-supported CPI(M) candidate Sanjay Kumar Kushwaha and National Democratic Alliance-supported Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) candidate Rajesh Verma.
In the last four Lok Sabha elections, Khagaria witnessed shifts in political representation. JD(U) leader Renu Kumari secured victory in 1999. However, in the subsequent Lok Sabha election in 2004, she was defeated by RJD's Rabindra Kumar Rana. Rana, in turn, lost to Dinesh Chandra Yadav of the JD(U) in 2009.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, LJP candidate Mahboob Ali Kaiser emerged victorious by defeating RJD candidate Krishna Kumari Yadav.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, there was tough competition between Mukesh Sahni of the Vikassheel Insaan Party, part of the Mahagathbandhan, and Mahboob Ali Kaiser of the Lok Janshakti Party.
The LJP candidate, Chaudhary Mahboob Ali Kaiser, retained the seat with 5,10,193 votes, while Mukesh Sahni secured 2,61,623 votes.
Days ago BJP chief JP Nadda held a rally in the constituency and listed the works done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the region.
While supporting INDIA bloc candidate RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also held a rally in Khagaria and said that the BJP is in a state of "depression" as the INDIA bloc is going to form the government after Lok Sabha elections.
The Khagaria Lok Sabha constituency is a part of the Munger division and was established as an independent district on May 10, 1981.
According to the 2011 census, Khagaria has a population of 16.67 lakh. This parliamentary constituency comprises six Vidhan Sabha seats: Simri Bakhtiarpur, Khagaria, Hasanpur, Beldaur, Alauli (SC), and Parbatta, with the Alauli Vidhan Sabha seat reserved for Scheduled Castes.
Being surrounded by 7 rivers, recurrence of floods is almost an annual affair in Khagaria. Ganga, Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla, Kosi, Kali Kosi, and Kareh pass through the district. The recurrence of floods along with water logging problem makes commuting difficult in the rainy season.
The issue of flood in the region remained a major electoral issue. However, none of governments has been able to deliver a permanent solution to the issue.
As per the Census of 2011, Khagaria district itself had a population of 16,66,886 of which male and female were 883,786 and 783,100, respectively. The average literacy rate of Khagaria in 2011 were 57.92, and its Sex Ratio was 886 per 1000 male against the average national sex ratio of 940.
Khagaria district's main religious communities included Hindu (89.21%), followed by Muslims (10.53%) in the population. Among others were Christian (0.08%), Sikh (0.01%), and Jain (0.01%) among others.
The 40 seats in Bihar are undergoing polls in all seven phases. In 2019, BJP-led NDA swept the state by winning 39 out of 40 seats, while Congress won just one seat. RJD, a formidable force in the state failed to open its account.