Despite his death three years ago, Mohammed Shahabuddin’s influence lingers in the political discourse of Siwan — the parliamentary constituency in Bihar that the politician-mafioso represented from 1996 to 2009.
This is also the first time that the RJD has looked beyond Shahabuddin in Siwan, having fielded former assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary, a six-term MLA from Siwan assembly constituency.
RJD is said to be keen on fielding Shahabuddin’s widow Hina Shahab, who had unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha polls on RJD ticket in 2009, 2014 and 2019.