The electoral battleground in Buxar is taking on a quadrangular shape in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, with the emergence of notable independent candidates such as Dadan Singh Yadav, known as Dadan Pahalwan, and retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Anand Mishra.
Buxar, a constituency where Brahmins and Rajputs hold significant sway, witnesses the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominating Mithilesh Tiwari, a Brahmin, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) puts forward Sudhakar Singh, a Rajput. However, the entry of independent contenders has disrupted this caste-based equilibrium.
Dadan Pahalwan, a prominent figure in Buxar District, historically encroached upon the core vote bank of the RJD, particularly the Yadav community, in Bihar.
His political journey saw him clinching victory in the 2000 Assembly elections as an independent candidate, defeating the RJD nominee. Subsequently, then Chief Minister Rabri Devi appointed him as the Finance and Commerce Minister in her Cabinet. However, his association with the RJD soured over time, leading him to join the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)]. In the 2015 Assembly elections, he secured the Dumraon seat on a JD(U) ticket. Dadan Pahalwan also contested the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate, chipping away at the Yadav vote bank of the RJD.
Anand Mishra, a 2011-batch Assam cadre IPS officer hailing from Shahpur in Buxar District, opted for Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) anticipating a BJP ticket. However, the BJP fielded Mithilesh Tiwari as its candidate from the Buxar seat, leaving Mishra without a party ticket.
Both BJP and RJD candidates aren't native to Buxar, with Mithilesh Tiwari hailing from Gopalganj and Sudhakar Singh from Kaimur District. Conversely, Dadan Pahalwan and Anand Mishra are Buxar natives.
Expressing his disappointment over not receiving a BJP ticket, Anand Mishra declared his candidacy as an independent from Buxar. He pledged to remain dedicated to the district's welfare and promised to prioritize overall development and law enforcement if elected.
Anand Mishra's candidacy has the potential to divide the upper-caste votes traditionally aligned with the BJP in this constituency.
Furthermore, incumbent MP Ashwini Kumar Choubey faces disappointment after his party withdraws his ticket.
Buxar's caste dynamics indicate a substantial presence of around 4 lakh Brahmin voters, nearly 3 lakh Yadav voters, 3 lakh Rajputs, 2.5 lakh Bhumihars, and 1.5 lakh Muslim voters. Additionally, constituents include Kushwaha, Kurmi, Dalit, Mahadalit, and other Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs).
