It's Lalu Prasad Yadav vs Rohini Acharya in Bihar's Saran LS seat
Patna (PTI): RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav's daughter Rohini Acharya's bid to reclaim the Saran Lok Sabha seat, once represented by the socialist leader, for the party is being challenged by a namesake of her father.
Contestant Laloo Prasad Yadav, a local farmer from Bihar's Saran district, the 'karmabhoomi' of his famous namesake, has a penchant for contesting elections.
This time, he filed his nomination papers as a candidate of the Rashtriya Jansambhavna Party (RJP) for Saran Lok Sabha seat on April 26.
Earlier, Laloo Prasad Yadav had filed his nominations for 2022 Presidential polls as well. He had also filed his nomination papers for the 2017 Presidential polls, which was a contest between the then Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind, who went on to win, and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who was a native of the soil.
However, his papers got rejected in the 2017 Presidential polls since those were not endorsed by an adequate number of proposers.
"I have been contesting Lok Sabha polls from Saran constituency for the last several terms. I had contested against former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi as well. This time, I am contesting against her daughter Rohini Acharya," Laloo Prasad Yadav told PTI over the phone.
He also exuded of "winning the election by a comfortable margin".
"I engage in agriculture for a living and also do social work. I keep trying my luck, from panchayat to Presidential polls. I am leaving no stone unturned to win this election... people of Saran are with me," Yadav said.
When asked about his opponents calling him 'dharti pakad' (one who clings on to the earth), a term associated with those who like to contest polls for the sake of thrill and publicity, and 'vote katwa' (one who divides votes), Yadav said, "I don't care about all these labels. They are my opponents and they will say such things. I contest polls only for the sake of my electorate in Saran."
According to the affidavit filed by the RJP candidate, Yadav has Rs 5 lakh cash in hand whereas his wife has 2 lakh cash. He owns movable assets worth Rs 17.60 lakh and his wife owns movable assets worth Rs 5.20 lakh.
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Injured BJP MPs better, under observation in ICU: RML
New Delhi (PTI): The health condition of two BJP MPs, who suffered head injuries in a face-off between opposition and NDA members in Parliament premises, is much better now and they remain under observation in the ICU of the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here, authorities said on Friday.
Pratap Sarangi (69) from Odisha and Mukesh Rajput (56) from Uttar Pradesh were brought to the hospital from Parliament with head injuries on Thursday.
"Their health condition is much better now and their blood pressure levels are also under control," RML Hospital's Medical Superintendent Dr Ajay Shukla said on Friday.
"Mukesh Rajput still has little giddiness and heaviness in head. Also Sarangi has an old heart problem. He already had a stent in his heart. They are being kept under observation in the ICU and their condition is being monitored. Treating doctors will decide further course of treatment and on when to shift them to a ward," Dr Shukla said.
Nothing significant regarding the injury has come up in the MRI and CT scans, he said.
According to Dr Shukla, Sarangi was bleeding profusely when he was brought in. "He had a deep cut on his forehead and it had to be stitched," he said.
"Rajput also had a head injury immediately after which he lost consciousness. However, the MP was in his senses when he was brought to the hospital. His blood pressure levels had also shot up. It has been brought under control," Dr Shukla had said on Thursday.
A face-off between the opposition and NDA MPs in Parliament premises over the alleged insult to B R Ambedkar left Sarangi injured. The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of pushing the senior member, a charge rejected by the Congress leader.
Trouble began when the INDIA bloc members insisted on entering Parliament through the BJP MPs holding a protest instead of using the space left empty on one side of the staircase of the Makar Dwar, used by members to enter and exit the building.Rajput was also injured in the melee.
