Darbhanga: On the eve of the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, tensions flared in Sirua village, Hayaghat constituency, after villagers caught a man allegedly distributing cash to voters. Around Rs 89,000 in cash and campaign material linked to BJP candidate and sitting MLA Ramchandra Prasad Sah were reportedly recovered from his possession.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of residents noticed suspicious activity late on Wednesday night as several men attempted to hand out money in the village. Locals confronted one of them, uncovering bundles of cash along with BJP campaign brochures and posters. The man was detained by villagers and handed over to Baheri police.
During questioning, the man allegedly failed to provide a credible explanation for the source of the money. Villagers claimed he was an associate of Ajay Kumar Rai — the brother-in-law of Ramchandra Prasad Sah — and accused Rai of orchestrating attempts to bribe voters.
“We received information that an attempt was being made to distribute cash in the village,” said Suraj Kumar Gupta, the officer-in-charge at Baheri Police Station. “We have detained the youth and recovered approximately Rs 90,000 and election material. The investigation is underway, and if violations are confirmed, strict action will follow.”
The BJP has dismissed the allegations, calling them “baseless” and part of an opposition-led conspiracy. Meanwhile, leaders from the Grand Alliance have described the incident as “electoral corruption” and urged the Election Commission to launch an inquiry.
The case has added to a growing list of complaints regarding misuse of funds during the Bihar elections. Polling for 121 assembly seats began today under heightened scrutiny, with the Election Commission deploying special teams to monitor cash movement and enforce the Model Code of Conduct.
Caste Dynamics and Electoral Stakes
The Hayaghat Assembly constituency (No. 84) in Darbhanga district falls under the Samastipur Lok Sabha seat. Established in 1967, the general category constituency has about 232,900 registered voters, with Yadavs, Koeris, Muslims, and upper-caste communities forming the bulk of the electorate.
In the 2020 assembly election, BJP’s Ramchandra Prasad Sah defeated RJD’s Bhola Yadav by a margin of 10,252 votes. Five years earlier, JD(U)’s Amarnath Gami had won the seat as part of the Grand Alliance by over 33,000 votes.
This year, the contest once again features Sah of the BJP and Bhola Yadav of the RJD, with a potential third contender from the Jan Suraaj Party possibly turning it into a triangular fight. While the NDA is seen to have a narrow advantage, opposition parties hope to capitalise on anti-incumbency sentiment.
