Tuesday, March 1 2005 15:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Notwithstanding the strictness of the Election Commission and the Patna High Court tightening noose around politicians having criminal background, over a dozen 'Bahubalis' have romped to victory in Bihar Assembly elections.

People like Rama Singh, Manoranjan Singh alias Dhumal Singh and Shanker Singh (all Lok Janshakti Party), Tarkeshwar Singh (Independent), Nityanand Rai (Bharatiya Janata Party), and former Bihar Minister and RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) leader Surendra Yadav, facing several criminal cases, won the polls from behind the bars.

Several others like Munna Shukla (LJP), Sunil Pandey and Anant Singh of JDU (Janata Dal United), Aditya Singh (Congress), enlarged on bail won by comfortable margins.

Lesi Singh (JDU), wife of slain ganglord Butan Singh, retained her Dhamdaha seat and so did Aruna Devi, spouse of dreaded gangster Akhilesh Singh from Warsaliganj.

While many such Bahubalis won the polls, few others including sitting MLA from Govindganj Rajan Tiwari (LJP), Lalan Singh (LJP), sitting MLA from Rupauli Bima Bharti (RJD), wife of notorious gangster Awdesh Mandal, were unlucky ones.

As many Bahubalis owing allegiance to Opposition parties won the polls, many belonging to the RJD failed to make it to the Vidhan Sabha.

Neeraj Singh alias Chotu Singh (Purnea), Rajesh Roshan alias Babloo Deo (Kesaria), Dilip Kumar Yadav (Damdaha) and Amar Yadav, son of dreaded dacoit Bhangar Yadav, were among RJD candidates with muscle power who lost.

RJD rebel Tarkeshwar Singh, who is facing over two dozen criminal cases and is presently lodged in Buxar jail, won from Masrakh in Saran district defeating Kedar Singh of JDU, brother of party MP Prabhunath Singh, who himself has criminal antecedents.

Munna Shukla (LJP), whose name had figured in kidnapping of NHPC technocrats, got re-elected from Lalganj in Vaishali district.

Narendra Kumar Pandey of JDU, who was sent to jail in connection with kidnapping of a doctor from Hajipur in 2003, allegedly having links with the proscribed Ranvir Sena, a militia of upper caste landlords, won from Piro in Bhojpur district defeating Keshav Prasad, husband of Union Minister Kanti Singh by over 35,000 votes.

Amrendra Pandey, brother of wanted criminal Satish Pandey, won from Kataiya in Gopalganj district on BSP ticket.

Anant Singh JDU, facing over two-dozen criminal cases, released from Buxar jail recently, won from Mokama seat defeating a kin of LJP MP Suraj Bhan Singh, an outlaw himself.

Munna Shukla of LJP told reporters it was wrong to dub him as 'Bahubali'. ''It is the false propaganda of the RJD against me'', he said adding the affection of the people was the reason for his victory.

With the elections throwing a hung House, every MLA, counts in Government formation. Keeping this in mind, RJD boss Laloo Prasad pressed into service his controversial Lok Sabha member Mohammad Shahabuddin who travelled all the way to Buxar jail to meet Tarkeshwar Singh to win him over for RJD.