<p>Ran Vijay Singh, from the ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) nominee from Goh constituency, is in the Daudnagar jail over a murder case.<br /><br />Singh is perhaps the only candidate from regional or national parties to contest the assembly elections from prison. <br /><br />Goh in Aurangabad district, considered a Maoist stronghold, is one of 26 constituencies going to the polls in the last round of six-phased assembly elections Nov 20.<br /><br />Singh has been in jail for over three years following a shootout at a polling booth in 2005.<br /><br />"Nitish Kumar has appealed to the electorate to vote for the jailed legislator," said Ghalib Khan, a resident of Piroo village near Goh.<br /><br />Surprisingly, many people say they are missing their legislator. Baijnath Prasad of Haspura said people have faced a number of problems because of their inability to access the jailed Singh. "He is a well-known muscle man who enjoys the support of the chief minister," he added.<br /><br />The Congress, of course, thinks differently. Congress spokesperson Prem Chand Mishra told IANS that Nitish Kumar had exposed his true face by campaigning for a politician jailed for murder.<br /><br />"This is the true picture of Nitish Kumar's tall claims of his so-called good governance and rule of law," he added.<br /><br />Mishra accused the chief minister of protecting criminal elements in politics. "Nitish Kumar has campaigned for more than two dozen hardcore criminals contesting the elections from the JD-U and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)," he said.<br /><br />Communist Party of India-Marxist youth leader Gopal Prasad Sharma said the chief minister had campaigned for many candidates with criminal records.<br /><br />He named Sarfaraz Alam, Neeraj Kumar Singh and Bucchan Yadav in this category. The charges against the trio include extortion, kidnapping, and murder.<br /><br />Alam, son of controversial former central minister Mohammad Taslimuddin, is the JD-U candidate from Jokihat. Singh is party candidate from Chatapur while Yadav is contesting from Bihariganj.<br /><br />The chief minister also campaigned for criminal-turned politicians like Manoranjan Singh alias Dhumal Singh, Sunil Pandey and Anant Singh.<br /><br />He campaigned for Lesi Singh - wife of slain ganglord Butan Singh - who is contesting from Dhamdaha constituency. Lesi Singh is a former legislator and former chairperson of Bihar Women's Commission.<br /><br />Interestingly, Nitish Kumar never fails to remind the electorate that the rule of law has been established in Bihar and more than 50,000 criminals convicted in the past five years.<br /><br />He has also warned of a resurgence of crime if he was voted out.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Ran Vijay Singh, from the ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) nominee from Goh constituency, is in the Daudnagar jail over a murder case.<br /><br />Singh is perhaps the only candidate from regional or national parties to contest the assembly elections from prison. <br /><br />Goh in Aurangabad district, considered a Maoist stronghold, is one of 26 constituencies going to the polls in the last round of six-phased assembly elections Nov 20.<br /><br />Singh has been in jail for over three years following a shootout at a polling booth in 2005.<br /><br />"Nitish Kumar has appealed to the electorate to vote for the jailed legislator," said Ghalib Khan, a resident of Piroo village near Goh.<br /><br />Surprisingly, many people say they are missing their legislator. Baijnath Prasad of Haspura said people have faced a number of problems because of their inability to access the jailed Singh. "He is a well-known muscle man who enjoys the support of the chief minister," he added.<br /><br />The Congress, of course, thinks differently. Congress spokesperson Prem Chand Mishra told IANS that Nitish Kumar had exposed his true face by campaigning for a politician jailed for murder.<br /><br />"This is the true picture of Nitish Kumar's tall claims of his so-called good governance and rule of law," he added.<br /><br />Mishra accused the chief minister of protecting criminal elements in politics. "Nitish Kumar has campaigned for more than two dozen hardcore criminals contesting the elections from the JD-U and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)," he said.<br /><br />Communist Party of India-Marxist youth leader Gopal Prasad Sharma said the chief minister had campaigned for many candidates with criminal records.<br /><br />He named Sarfaraz Alam, Neeraj Kumar Singh and Bucchan Yadav in this category. The charges against the trio include extortion, kidnapping, and murder.<br /><br />Alam, son of controversial former central minister Mohammad Taslimuddin, is the JD-U candidate from Jokihat. Singh is party candidate from Chatapur while Yadav is contesting from Bihariganj.<br /><br />The chief minister also campaigned for criminal-turned politicians like Manoranjan Singh alias Dhumal Singh, Sunil Pandey and Anant Singh.<br /><br />He campaigned for Lesi Singh - wife of slain ganglord Butan Singh - who is contesting from Dhamdaha constituency. Lesi Singh is a former legislator and former chairperson of Bihar Women's Commission.<br /><br />Interestingly, Nitish Kumar never fails to remind the electorate that the rule of law has been established in Bihar and more than 50,000 criminals convicted in the past five years.<br /><br />He has also warned of a resurgence of crime if he was voted out.<br /><br /></p>