Village youth decide to rise above castein West Champaran

Jitendra Kumar Shrivastava

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Tribune News Service

Patna, October 29

Youth in the Lauria constituency of West Champaran seem to be changing the political apathy of the first generation and taking the stand on growth and development.

Sanjay Yadav, 28, a resident of Khajuria Bahuarwa, has come home from Mumbai to exercise his franchise in the crucial fourth phase polls on November 1. He said he would vote for change and good governance. “Bihar lacks growth and development as compared to its counterparts. Its population does not have access to regular power supply, irrigation facilities and good education facilities,” he said.

Satwaria, a village of Raj Kumar Shukla — the freedom fighter who persuaded Mahatma Gandhi to visit Champaran leading to the Satyagraha Movement — is yet to witness development. Shukla’s octogenarian descendant Mani Bhushan Rai said: “The village was announced to be developed as a model village, but nothing has been done so far.”

“The youth, this time, are determined to vote for development,” said Shekhar Rai, a Ghauna resident.

In the 2010 election, Independent Binay Bihari defeated RJD candidate Shambhu Tiwari. Later, Bihari joined former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi-led HAM (S) which fielded him on a BJP ticket this time. Bihari is getting tough competition from with Runkaushal Pratap Singh (RJD) and Shambhu.