Despite having no MLAs, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani is one of the most sought after leaders in Bihar for his influence among the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs).
Championing the cause of the Nishad caste group, the party projects itself to have considerable influence among the boatmen and fishermen communities that live in the riverine belts of North Bihar. According to the 2023 caste survey, Nishads comprise approximately 9.6% of the state’s population, while the Mallah sub-caste, to which Sahani belongs, has a 2.6% share of the total population. In a closely contested election, the Nishad votes could prove to be decisive in regions such as Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, Madhubani, Khagaria, Vaishali, and certain other North Bihar districts.
Sahani speaks to The Indian Express about the rationale behind his bargain for seats, the importance of EBC voters, and claims of being Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s political successor.
Excerpts:
* With the Mahagathbandhan likely to announce a seat-sharing deal soon, are you still sticking to your demand of 60 seats and being the Deputy CM face?
Though I have drastically scaled down my demands, I want a respectable number of seats. After all, I am an EBC, who constitute 36% of the state’s population and is the biggest social block. The Mallah caste and its allied communities make up about 10% of the population.
Also, there is near consensus (in the Mahagathbandhan) on (RJD leader) Tejashwi Yadav being the CM face and me the Deputy CM face.
* You want to be the Deputy CM though your critics say you have not proved yourself electorally…
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, I contested from Khagaria on Lalu Prasad’s insistence and lost an election in which the NDA won 39 of the state’s 40 seats. I should have contested from my home seat of Darbhanga. I lost the 2020 polls from Simri Bakhtiyarpur only by 1,700 votes. I made the mistake of inviting Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath to campaign for me and this polarised voters.
Now, I will contest from my preferred seat or someone from my family will. I believe in dynastic politics, a regional party will not survive if it is not led by a member of the leader’s family. In 2014, Nitish made (Hindustan Awam Morcha — Secular chief) Jitan Ram Manjhi the CM but faced betrayal. Similarly, (Maharashtra Deputy CM) Eknath Shinde, who was promoted by Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, also deserted the party.
* There has been speculation about you switching back to the NDA …
This impression was created because I walked out of the Mahagathbandhan’s press conference. There is better understanding now and it (leaving the alliance) will not happen.
With regard to the NDA, of which I was a part earlier, the BJP took away three of our four MLAs. However, I have great respect for Nitish Kumar, who has worked hard for the people who are on the fringes of the social order. I believe people like me, Tejashwi, and (LJP-RV chief) Chirag Paswan are the real heirs of Nitish Kumar’s legacy.
Nitish is no longer the same person due to his failing health and a handful of people are taking decisions on his behalf. The NDA government has not achieved much and also shown the door to (former JD(U) leader) R C P Singh while Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founder Prashant Kishor has targeted JD(U) leader Ashok Kumar Choudhary, who could have been an important voice in the future, as he belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC).
Though I cannot give you the exact number of seats the VIP will contest, I can tell you we will contest from East Champaran, West Champaran, the Mithila region of Darbhanga, as well as Madhubani, Supaul, Samastipur, Kaimur, Munger, and Bhagalpur.
Wherever there is a river, there is Mallah. Wherever there is water, there is Mallah.
* Doesn’t the “Son of Mallah” sobriquet limit you to certain communities?
It was out of immaturity that I gave myself the tag. Till 2012, I did not even know what the EBC was all about. I understood the intricacies and importance of caste identity only after I spoke to some people from my community. But by then, I had settled in Mumbai and started sort of a political movement and introduced myself as “Son of Mallah”.
Later, I was exposed to the ideologies of B R Ambedkar and (former Bihar CM) Karpoori Thakur and realised I must work for the entire EBC community. Subsequently, I was impressed with (RJD chief) Lalu Prasad, who became the voice of the voiceless. As I had faced discrimination in my childhood, I wanted to course correct.
* What is the Mahagathbandhan offering?
As Mallahs enjoy SC status in some states, I will work towards reserving seats for EBCs. We will also do away with the 50% reservation ceiling. With regard to governance, we will offer more jobs and ensure that the people of Bihar are not forced to leave the state for small employment opportunities.
We will also provide a monthly social security pension of Rs 1,500 and 200 MWs of free power. We will rein in grassroots corruption as the poor bear the brunt of it.
* Do you have a plan to take forward the “vote chori versus ghuspaithiya (infiltrator)” campaign following the Voter Adhikar Yatra?
Recently, we heard the Chief Election Commissioner (Gyanesh Kumar) in Patna. He was speaking like Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ally.
They (EC) are just trying to create a perception. Gyanesh Kumar should have told us the number of foreigners in Bihar. Are they from Bangladesh or Bhutan? The EC must also provide details of new voters, along with their age. Even though RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat recently said the poor had been ill-treated for long and called for course correction, nothing is going to change.
* What is your opinion on Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor?
He has no ideology and has worked with parties which adhere to many ideologies. He has infused the culture of money in election campaigns. What he would have spent in a year, my party has not spent in 12 years. He wants to win the election on the strength of money. He charged crores as a political strategist. If parties spend so much, they are bound to become corrupt after assuming power. Kishor has commodified politics.