Denied ticket, JDU’s Gopal Mandal files as independent; Upendra Kushwaha’s wife enters Sasaram fray

Patna: In a major political twist ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, four-time JDU MLA Narendra Kumar Neeraj alias Gopal Mandal from Bhagalpur’s Gopalpur constituency has filed his nomination as an independent candidate after being denied a party ticket.

The Janata Dal United (JDU) has replaced Mandal with former MP Bulo Mandal as the official NDA candidate from Gopalpur.

Fearing denial, Gopal Mandal had earlier staged a protest on the streets of Patna, urging Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to reconsider the decision — but to no avail.

On Saturday, Mandal arrived with a large crowd of supporters to file his nomination papers.

Later, while addressing a gathering, he became visibly emotional and broke down in tears.

Amidst sobs, he declared, “I will never leave Nitish Kumar,” and raised slogans of “Nitish Kumar Zindabad.”

His emotional outburst moved his supporters, who also joined in the chants.

Gopal Mandal is known for his unusual activities, especially making an objectionable comment against JDU MP from Bhagalpur, Ajay Kumar Manda.

Gopal Mandal also levelled serious corruption charges against Ajay Kumar Mandal. The latter, in reply, lodged an FIR against him in Bhagalpur district and alleged that he is tarnishing his political and public image.

Meanwhile, in Sasaram, Snehlata Kushwaha, wife of Upendra Kushwaha, chief of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) — an NDA ally — formally entered the electoral fray.

She submitted her nomination papers before SDM Ashutosh Ranjan, accompanied by her husband and a large group of enthusiastic supporters.

Speaking to the media, Snehlata Kushwaha said her focus would be on development and public service.

Upendra Kushwaha expressed confidence that her candidature would usher in a new wave of change in the Sasaram region.

The Rashtriya Lok Morcha has secured six assembly seats under the NDA’s seat-sharing arrangement, with Snehlata Kushwaha contesting one of them.

This marks her electoral debut in Bihar politics.

IANS