Patna: Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) President Mukesh Sahni has drawn a line in the sand regarding his political ambitions in the Bihar elections. After being scheduled to file his nomination from the Gaurabauram constituency in Darbhanga today, Sahni abruptly announced he would not contest personally.
Instead of fighting for an Assembly seat, Sahni is leveraging his political capital for a top administrative position, stating, “We don’t want the Rajya Sabha seat; I want to be the Deputy CM.” This categorical rejection came despite a reported offer from the Grand Alliance, which included one Rajya Sabha seat and two Legislative Council (MLC) seats for the disgruntled leader.
The Caste Calculus and Candidates
Sahni, who frequently refers to himself as the “Son of Mallah,” claims significant influence over the Nishad community, which he estimates constitutes 12 to 15 percent of Bihar’s population. By focusing solely on campaigning, he hopes to maximize the VIP’s vote share across the state, thereby increasing his bargaining power for a potential post-election deal.
The party has, however, fielded key candidates in multiple areas, including:
- Bhogendra Sahni from Aurai Assembly constituency.
- Umesh Sahni from Darbhanga urban area.
- Prem Shankar Yadav from Gopalpur Assembly constituency.
Reports suggest the VIP could potentially secure up to 15 seats, a number that would make Sahni a crucial, albeit volatile, partner in any governing alliance.
A History of High-Stakes Defection
Sahni’s aggressive demands come despite a critical internal weakness: the VIP currently holds no sitting MLAs. This lack of bargaining power stems from his tumultuous history in the previous election cycle.
Displeased with the seat-sharing arrangement at the time, Sahni broke from the Grand Alliance at the last minute to join the NDA. While his party won four seats, all four newly-elected MLAs subsequently abandoned the VIP and joined the BJP. This mass defection left Sahni without a legislative presence, severely undermining his ability to demand a larger share of the 40 seats he initially sought in the current alliance negotiations.
With the Grand Alliance reportedly close to finalizing its seat-sharing agreement today, the political future of Mukesh Sahni rests on whether the coalition is willing to concede the Deputy CM post to secure the loyalty of the Mallah community vote.
