Danapur: “Ritlal is a criminal, but we have no problem with that. He helps people.” These words by 57-year-old cobbler Shankar Ram of Nainchak capture the mood in Danapur, one of Bihar’s most politically charged constituencies, where loyalty, caste, and local identity appear to outweigh corruption and crime charges.
The seat, part of Patliputra Lok Sabha constituency, will vote in the first phase on November 6, with the contest heating up between incumbent RJD MLA Ritlal Yadav, currently lodged in jail, and BJP’s Ramkripal Yadav, a former Union Minister and one-time confidant of Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Ground Reality: Loyalty vs Law
For many voters in Danapur, Ritlal Yadav’s criminal image doesn’t deter support. “He is always there when there’s trouble—whether someone dies or there’s a fight,” says Shankar, who earns ₹300–400 a day fixing shoes.
Others echo similar sentiments, praising Ritlal’s accessibility despite his imprisonment. His loyalists claim he “solved problems, arranged medicines, and worked for the poor,” while BJP supporters insist his “hooliganism and extortion” ruined the area’s image.
A Seat Steeped in History
Located at the confluence of the Ganga and Son rivers, Danapur became an Assembly constituency in 1957. Once a Congress bastion, it later became an RJD stronghold, before the BJP captured it for four consecutive terms (2005–2015) with Asha Sinha as MLA. In 2020, Ritlal Yadav broke the BJP streak, defeating her on an RJD ticket.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, RJD’s Misa Bharti won from Patliputra, but the BJP retained a lead in the Danapur segment, making this year’s contest even tighter.
Demographics and Caste Equations
Danapur has a population of around four lakh, of which 92.7% are Hindus and 6.5% Muslims. Yadavs (22%) dominate the electorate, followed by Scheduled Castes (11.8%) and Muslims (5.9%).
Locals admit voting patterns remain heavily caste-based. “Voting here is based on caste. Danapur has Baniya votes, Mubarakpur has Yadav votes,” says Rajan Kumar, a first-time voter.
Local Voices: Unemployment, Inflation, and Anger
From Ward No. 7, 20-year-old Deepak Kumar complains of no jobs and stalled development. “There’s a close contest between the BJP and RJD, but Ramkripal is an outsider. If there was a local BJP candidate, we’d have voted for them.”
Som Prakash Yadav (29) is disillusioned altogether: “Poor ration quality, traffic jams, liquor menace — nothing changes. This time, I’ll press NOTA.”
On the other hand, Neeraj Kumar Yadav, a taxi driver from Mubarakpur, feels a “BJP-friendly atmosphere” emerging. “People are happy with ration, schools, and hospitals. Ritlal won’t repeat his victory,” he says.
Among Dalit voters, Aghsoni Paswan (36) says anger against the BJP runs deep. “Chirag’s supporters are upset with the NDA. Our votes will go to the lantern (RJD). Ramkripal promised help once but never returned.”
Women Speak: Support for Nitish Despite Inflation
In Tarachak, 60-year-old Shakuntala Devi, who makes clay pots, complains about poor drainage and rising prices but still backs the JD(U)-BJP government. “I like Nitish and Modi. Vegetables that cost ₹50 now cost ₹150. Still, I haven’t seen Tejashwi’s work.”
Meena Devi Paswan (80), whose name has been dropped from the voter list, worries more about water shortage than politics. “There’s no water to wash or bathe. I like both Nitish and Lalu — they should work together,” she says.
Rival Claims and Counterclaims
BJP’s Ramkripal Yadav accuses his rival of running “a regime of fear and extortion.” He says, “Nothing has happened in the last five years except hooliganism. Builders were blackmailed, and land mafias flourished under protection.” He has promised to resolve waterlogging and traffic congestion, calling them “Danapur’s biggest civic failures.”
Meanwhile, RJD’s district general secretary Afroz Alam defends Ritlal: “He worked continuously from 2020 to 2024—installed X-ray machines in hospitals, arranged medicines, and solved women’s toilet issues. His arrest is a conspiracy before elections.”
Ritlal’s wife, a government school teacher, will not campaign due to service rules. Alam said RJD workers will “collectively manage his campaign.”
Expert View: Tight Race Expected
Local journalist Chandrashekhar, who has covered Danapur for decades, believes the contest is tighter than before. “Urbanization has changed the voter base. Many apartment dwellers are new and less attached to local caste politics. Ritlal faces a tougher battle this time.”
He adds, “Waterlogging remains the biggest issue. Roads are the same as 20 years ago. Whether it’s Bailey Road or Khagaul, nothing has improved.”
The Big Picture
As the Bihar Assembly elections draw near, Danapur mirrors the larger state narrative — development versus identity, loyalty versus law, and personality versus performance.
For now, in the lanes of Nainchak and the markets of Mubarakpur, one refrain stands out:
“Ritlal may be a criminal, but he’s our man.”
