A staunch loyalist of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/narendra-modi-takes-oath-as-prime-minister-for-second-time-222847">Narendra Modi</a> since the days he was the chief minister of Gujarat, BJP leader Giriraj Singh has seen his political stock rise dramatically in the past one decade.

The 66-year-old Singh, who has won the Begusarai seat in Bihar defeating CPI's Kanhaiya Kumar by a margin of over four lakh votes, belongs to the influential Bhumihar community - earlier supporters of the Congress, but since the Mandal era forming the BJP's backbone in the state.

He had been associated with the Sangh Parivar since his days as a student of Magadh University during which he was an active member of the ABVP.&nbsp;

He, however, remained in political wilderness until his election to the state legislative council in 2002 and his induction into the Nitish Kumar cabinet three years later.

Kumar was perceived to have an overbearing presence by his detractors in the BJP and Singh, by his acts of defiance, endeared himself to hardliners as well as members of his own community, who saw in his blunt support of Modi a caste-man asserting himself before an OBC boss.

After it became clear that Modi will be the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP and Kumar parted ways, Singh - who had lost his ministerial berth in the state - was rewarded with a Lok Sabha ticket from Nawada, a seat he won while earning the ignominy of having been banned from campaigning in Bihar and Jharkhand by the Election Commission, which took exception to his pronouncement that those opposed to his leader deserved to be sent to Pakistan.

Six months after Modi assumed power in May, 2014, Singh was made the Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in a cabinet expansion exercise and he continued to hold the post till the government lasted.

While his tenure as a Union minister, like his stint in the state, remained free of blemishes he kept making headlines through acts like prefixing his "gotra" - Shandilya - to his name and urging others to follow the example in the interests of Hindu traditions.

Many of his utterances verged on Hindutva hardline as he repeatedly raised the issue of rising Muslim population in the country and underscored that a decline in the proportion of Hindus in a region invariably led to social strife.

At times he also went against the government line of awaiting the Supreme&nbsp;Court verdict on Ayodhya saying "Hindus were running out of patience". He drew flak when he visited riot-accused Bajrang Dal activists in Nawada last year and lambasted the Nitish Kumar government for the same though his party had come to share power in the state again.

Ahead of a massive rally in the Bihar capital before the elections were announced, Singh once again proclaimed that those who did not attend the same would be deemed to be standing with Pakistan, but ended up missing it himself on account of ill-health, evoking much ridicule.

Electioneering saw him warning Muslims that their reluctance to chant "Vande Mataram" could be detrimental to their own interests as unlike the Hindus who were cremated upon death, they needed "three yards of land for burial". An FIR was lodged in this connection at Begusarai upon the EC's directive and the case of model code of conduct has not been closed, though Singh has secured bail.

A staunch loyalist of Narendra Modi since the days he was the chief minister of Gujarat, BJP leader Giriraj Singh has seen his political stock rise dramatically in the past one decade.

A staunch loyalist of Narendra Modi since the days he was the chief minister of Gujarat, BJP leader Giriraj Singh has seen his political stock rise dramatically in the past one decade. The 66-year-old Singh, who has won the Begusarai seat in Bihar defeating CPI's Kanhaiya Kumar by a margin of over four lakh votes, belongs to the influential Bhumihar community - earlier supporters of the Congress, but since the Mandal era forming the BJP's backbone in the state. He had been associated with the Sangh Parivar since his days as a student of Magadh University during which he was an active member of the ABVP. He, however, remained in political wilderness until his election to the state legislative council in 2002 and his induction into the Nitish Kumar cabinet three years later. Kumar was perceived to have an overbearing presence by his detractors in the BJP and Singh, by his acts of defiance, endeared himself to hardliners as well as members of his own community, who saw in his blunt support of Modi a caste-man asserting himself before an OBC boss. After it became clear that Modi will be the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP and Kumar parted ways, Singh - who had lost his ministerial berth in the state - was rewarded with a Lok Sabha ticket from Nawada, a seat he won while earning the ignominy of having been banned from campaigning in Bihar and Jharkhand by the Election Commission, which took exception to his pronouncement that those opposed to his leader deserved to be sent to Pakistan. Six months after Modi assumed power in May, 2014, Singh was made the Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in a cabinet expansion exercise and he continued to hold the post till the government lasted. While his tenure as a Union minister, like his stint in the state, remained free of blemishes he kept making headlines through acts like prefixing his "gotra" - Shandilya - to his name and urging others to follow the example in the interests of Hindu traditions. Many of his utterances verged on Hindutva hardline as he repeatedly raised the issue of rising Muslim population in the country and underscored that a decline in the proportion of Hindus in a region invariably led to social strife. At times he also went against the government line of awaiting the Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya saying "Hindus were running out of patience". He drew flak when he visited riot-accused Bajrang Dal activists in Nawada last year and lambasted the Nitish Kumar government for the same though his party had come to share power in the state again. Ahead of a massive rally in the Bihar capital before the elections were announced, Singh once again proclaimed that those who did not attend the same would be deemed to be standing with Pakistan, but ended up missing it himself on account of ill-health, evoking much ridicule. Electioneering saw him warning Muslims that their reluctance to chant "Vande Mataram" could be detrimental to their own interests as unlike the Hindus who were cremated upon death, they needed "three yards of land for burial". An FIR was lodged in this connection at Begusarai upon the EC's directive and the case of model code of conduct has not been closed, though Singh has secured bail.

Giriraj Singh: A firebrand leader, who trounced Kanhaiya Kumar by over 4 lakh votes

In Lok Sabha Polls 2019, 17 seats of Maharashtra are in the fray in fourth phase.

LS Polls: 17 seats of Maharashtra in the fray in fourth phase of Lok Sabha Polls

In this video, know which candidates' fate is on claim in Phase 4 of LS Polls 2019.

LS Polls 2019: Know which candidates' fate on claim in Phase 4

Bihar's Begusarai is set for an interesting electoral battle in the fourth phase of election scheduled for April 29. While the BJP has fielded Union minister Giriaj Singh, the Left Front has pitted Kanhaiya Kumar against him.

Begusarai is referred to as Leningrad of Bihar - Leftists equate the city with Leningrad as the cradle of revolution.

Begusarai, though with the BJP now, has seen a very long association with the Left - starting in the 1930s when the landless villagers revolted against the land owners and seized their land. The association continued for decades.

This is the same reason why the Left is backing Kanhaiya Kumar who, in 2016, spoke against the establishment (the Centre) vowing to free the society of various social evils as a Jawaharlal Nehru student. The Left is determined to oust the BJP government at the Centre and have found their 'Che' in the form of Kanhaiya. The Communist Party of India (CPI) has claimed that Kanhaiya was getting "excellent" support from all segments of the society.

An energetic campaign has propelled Kanhaiya Kumar into the centrestage of electoral contest in Begusarai but many see his rising graph posing a bigger threat to the opposition RJD than the ruling BJP.

Speculations have been rife that RJD founding president Lalu Prasad had initially thought of backing Kanhaiya whom he had applauded for having displayed fortitude while he was accused of sedition and put behind bars. But, he retracted at the instance of his younger son Tejashwi Yadav who said the CPI nominee belonged to the Bhumihar caste and hence supporting him may anger the party's own cadre which is dominated by Yadavs and Muslims.

Interestingly, Giriraj Singh also belongs to the Bhumihar caste. Known for his hardline views that have often triggered controversies, Singh said his fight from this parliamentary constituency is against a "gang" working for "breaking up" India, and asserted that he represents the agenda of cultural nationalism and development.

Singh had publicly expressed his anguish over the shift but was placated by the central leadership with party president Amit Shah himself reaching out to him.

Singh asserted the BJP-led NDA would improve its 2014 tally of 31 seats in Bihar (which has total 40 Lok Sabha seats) and it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself who is the alliance candidate on every seat and all contesting leaders "are his symbols".

The BJP supporters in Begusarai and other Lok Sabha seats in the region assert that the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains a big draw for voters, while the opposition's alliance is hoping to counter it with its social arithmetic at several places.

If the Modi factor is powering the BJP's campaign, the alliance of the Lalu Prasad's RJD, Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP and the Congress is betting on a formidable social equation in these seats, including Ujiarpur, where Kushwaha is taking on Bihar BJP chief Nityanand Rai to make the going difficult for the saffron party.

Both Ujiarpur and Begusarai were won by the BJP in 2014.

In the 2014 polls, BJP's Bhola Singh, who died in October last year, had defeated Lalu Prasad-led RJD's Tanveer Hasan, who is again in the fray, with a margin of 5.4 per cent votes (more than 58,000). The JD(U)-backed CPI had finished a distant third with near 93,000 votes. Singh had got over 4.29 lakh votes.

Bihar's Begusarai is set for an interesting electoral battle in the fourth phase of election scheduled for April 29. While the BJP has fielded Union minister Giriaj Singh, the Left Front has pitted Kanhaiya Kumar against him.

Bihar's Begusarai is set for an interesting electoral battle in the fourth phase of election scheduled for April 29. While the BJP has fielded Union minister Giriaj Singh, the Left Front has pitted Kanhaiya Kumar against him. Begusarai is referred to as Leningrad of Bihar - Leftists equate the city with Leningrad as the cradle of revolution. Begusarai, though with the BJP now, has seen a very long association with the Left - starting in the 1930s when the landless villagers revolted against the land owners and seized their land. The association continued for decades. This is the same reason why the Left is backing Kanhaiya Kumar who, in 2016, spoke against the establishment (the Centre) vowing to free the society of various social evils as a Jawaharlal Nehru student. The Left is determined to oust the BJP government at the Centre and have found their 'Che' in the form of Kanhaiya. The Communist Party of India (CPI) has claimed that Kanhaiya was getting "excellent" support from all segments of the society. An energetic campaign has propelled Kanhaiya Kumar into the centrestage of electoral contest in Begusarai but many see his rising graph posing a bigger threat to the opposition RJD than the ruling BJP. Speculations have been rife that RJD founding president Lalu Prasad had initially thought of backing Kanhaiya whom he had applauded for having displayed fortitude while he was accused of sedition and put behind bars. But, he retracted at the instance of his younger son Tejashwi Yadav who said the CPI nominee belonged to the Bhumihar caste and hence supporting him may anger the party's own cadre which is dominated by Yadavs and Muslims. Interestingly, Giriraj Singh also belongs to the Bhumihar caste. Known for his hardline views that have often triggered controversies, Singh said his fight from this parliamentary constituency is against a "gang" working for "breaking up" India, and asserted that he represents the agenda of cultural nationalism and development. Singh had publicly expressed his anguish over the shift but was placated by the central leadership with party president Amit Shah himself reaching out to him. Singh asserted the BJP-led NDA would improve its 2014 tally of 31 seats in Bihar (which has total 40 Lok Sabha seats) and it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself who is the alliance candidate on every seat and all contesting leaders "are his symbols". The BJP supporters in Begusarai and other Lok Sabha seats in the region assert that the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains a big draw for voters, while the opposition's alliance is hoping to counter it with its social arithmetic at several places. If the Modi factor is powering the BJP's campaign, the alliance of the Lalu Prasad's RJD, Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP and the Congress is betting on a formidable social equation in these seats, including Ujiarpur, where Kushwaha is taking on Bihar BJP chief Nityanand Rai to make the going difficult for the saffron party. Both Ujiarpur and Begusarai were won by the BJP in 2014. In the 2014 polls, BJP's Bhola Singh, who died in October last year, had defeated Lalu Prasad-led RJD's Tanveer Hasan, who is again in the fray, with a margin of 5.4 per cent votes (more than 58,000). The JD(U)-backed CPI had finished a distant third with near 93,000 votes. Singh had got over 4.29 lakh votes.

Lok Sabha polls phase 4: Kanhaiya Kumar vs Giriraj Singh in Bihar's Begusarai

Former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) Kanhaiya Kumar will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai in Bihar.

The Communist Party of India announced&nbsp;Kanhaiya's candidature on Sunday.

Begusarai is also known as Leningrad of Bihar due to the influence of the CPI in the area.

A native of the Begusarai district, Kumar was arrested by the Delhi Police in February 2016 for his alleged involvement in JNU event where anti-India slogans were raised, a charge denied by him. His mother works as an Anganwadi worker while his father is a small farmer.

The former student leader was recently seen actively participating in state politics. Soon after his release from jail, Kumar had met chief minister Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad. He had also faced criticism then for touching Prasad’s feet.

Meanwhile, In a surprise move, BJP has fielded Union Minister Giriraj Singh from Begusarai who contested from Nawada Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar.

Earlier, it was expected that Shahnawaz Hussain will contest from Begusarai.

At present, the BJP represents Begusarai in the Lok Sabha. In 2014, party’s Bhola Singh won the seat by defeating RJD’s Tanveer Hasan by 58,000 votes.

Bihar will see polling in seven phases. The dates of polling in Bihar will be on April 11, 18, 23, 29 and May 6, 12 and 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.&nbsp;

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the RJD won only four seats and the Congress two. The JD-U, which contested separately, won two seats. The BJP-led NDA won 31 seats, with the former's tally being 22.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) Kanhaiya Kumar will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai in Bihar. The Communist Party of India announced Kanhaiya's candidature on Sunday.

Former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) Kanhaiya Kumar will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai in Bihar. The Communist Party of India announced Kanhaiya's candidature on Sunday. Begusarai is also known as Leningrad of Bihar due to the influence of the CPI in the area. A native of the Begusarai district, Kumar was arrested by the Delhi Police in February 2016 for his alleged involvement in JNU event where anti-India slogans were raised, a charge denied by him. His mother works as an Anganwadi worker while his father is a small farmer. The former student leader was recently seen actively participating in state politics. Soon after his release from jail, Kumar had met chief minister Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad. He had also faced criticism then for touching Prasad’s feet. Meanwhile, In a surprise move, BJP has fielded Union Minister Giriraj Singh from Begusarai who contested from Nawada Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar. Earlier, it was expected that Shahnawaz Hussain will contest from Begusarai. At present, the BJP represents Begusarai in the Lok Sabha. In 2014, party’s Bhola Singh won the seat by defeating RJD’s Tanveer Hasan by 58,000 votes. Bihar will see polling in seven phases. The dates of polling in Bihar will be on April 11, 18, 23, 29 and May 6, 12 and 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the RJD won only four seats and the Congress two. The JD-U, which contested separately, won two seats. The BJP-led NDA won 31 seats, with the former's tally being 22. (With inputs from agencies)

Lok Sabha polls 2019: CPI fields Kanhaiya Kumar from Bihar’s Begusarai to take on BJP’s Giriraj Singh

begusarai

Begusarai, News on Begusarai, stories on Begusarai, articles on Begusarai, Begusarai stories at Wion, Begusarai news, Begusarai latest news