The Congress on Thursday fielded Luv Sinha, son of noted film-star and former Union minister, Shatrughan Sinha, from Bankipur Assembly seat of Patna. He would be taking on the sitting BJP MLA, Nitin Navin. Bankipur is considered as a BJP stronghold and is located in the heart of Patna.
Both Luv and BJP’s Nitin Navin come from Kayastha caste, which has substantial population in urban Patna. Nitin is the legislator ever since the by-poll held after the death of his father Navin Kishore Prasad Sinha on January 2, 2006. The late leader used to represent what was then callled Patna West Assembly seat.
However, since 2010, following the delimitation exercise a new name has been given to the constituency. The battle is going to be a crucial one as Nitin is facing the challenge of incumbency factor.
On the other hand Luv, thanks to his father, has a certain amount of clout even in the BJP, the party which Shatrughan had nursed for almost 35 years before crossing over to the Congress just on the eve of last year’s Lok Saba poll. However, he lost the Patna Saheb Lok Sabha seat to Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, also a Kayastha.
The Congress, which is contesting on 70 seats in alliance with RJD and Left parties, on Oct 15 released the second list of 46 candidates. Apart from Sharad Yadav’s daughter, Subhashini Raj Rao, who got ticket from Bihariganj in Madhepura district, the list includes Rakesh Singh, the nephew of former governor, Nikhil Kumar and Mithilesh Chaudhary, the brother-in-law (sala) of former cricketer, Kirti Azad.
Rakesh will be contesting from Lalganj in Vaishali district while Mithilesh got ticket from Benipur.
