The Sweet Showdown: Mokama's Culinary Political Battle
As Bihar prepares for the crucial vote count on Friday, the political battlefield in Mokama has transformed into an arena of sweet extravagance and silent confidence. The two political heavyweights of the region – JD(U)'s Anant Singh and RJD's Surajbhan Singh – have turned their election camps into competing kitchens where faith in victory is being measured not through speeches, but through lakhs of rasgullas and thousands of litres of milk.
Anant Singh's Jailhouse Confidence
In Patna's Harding Road, loyalists of Anant Singh have erected a grand tent, converting the street into a massive celebration zone. Despite Anant being lodged in Beur jail in connection with the murder of Jan Suraaj supporter Dularchand Yadav, his camp displays remarkable confidence in his victory.
Sanjeet Kumar Singh, Anant's manager, revealed the scale of preparations: "One hundred people have been called in to prepare food for everyone. Almost 2.5 lakh rasgullas and gulab jamuns are being prepared over two days along with an elaborate menu for lunch and dinner."
The camp has arranged for two full tankers of milk specifically for the occasion. The pandal, decorated in JD(U) colors, is expected to host nearly 50,000 supporters from both Patna and Mokama. Despite the celebratory mood, the camp maintains caution, with Sanjeet confirming they will not take out any processions immediately, reserving grand celebrations for when Anant is released from jail.
RJD's Wedding-Scale Preparations
Meanwhile, at Kaushalya Estate near Dak Bungalow crossing, the mood is equally jubilant but carries the distinct green and white colors of the RJD. Here, Veena Devi, wife of Surajbhan Singh and RJD candidate, has mobilized her own army of supporters preparing a feast that could rival a royal wedding banquet.
Murariji, her election in-charge, detailed their arrangements: "Forty cooks have set up nine gas stoves in a green and white pandal where seating arrangements are being done to welcome all."
The menu reflects the confidence of her supporters, featuring puri-sabzi, polau, raita, chutney, papad and both orange and white rasgullas for dinner service at 8 PM. Veena's brother, Bablu Sharma, expressed absolute certainty about her victory, stating: "We are 100% sure about her victory. A minimum of 25,000 rasgullas will be made for the celebrations."
Surajbhan Singh himself has personally supervised the arrangements, ensuring no detail is overlooked as they secured 4,000 litres of milk for the festivities. Murariji added that once the Model Code of Conduct ends on November 17, they plan to take out a large victory procession in Mokama to celebrate with the masses.
High-Stakes Political Contest
The Mokama constituency, known for its legacy of muscle politics and strongman culture, recorded a voter turnout of 64.77% during the first phase of the assembly polls. The high-stakes contest between Anant Singh and Veena Devi has drawn enormous attention from political circles across Bihar.
Whether the rasgullas will taste of triumph or disappointment will be revealed only after the counting begins. However, Mokama's unique sweet duel has already become the talk of Patna's political circles, demonstrating how Indian politics often expresses confidence through culinary extravagance rather than mere words.
