With the dust settling after the declaration of the Ara-Buxar MLC by-election result on Thursday, the Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) much-discussed 'A to Z' social coalition strategy has once again come into focus following the party's victory.
RJD candidate Sonu Kumar Rai, now being described as a 'giant killer' in local political circles, defeated Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] candidate Kanhaiya Prasad. Prasad is the son of two-time MLC and sitting Sandesh MLA Radha Charan Shah, whose influence in the Shahabad region is considered significant.
During his victory procession, Sonu said, 'I emphasise and say it with full confidence that I, as the RJD candidate, got the full support and backing of all castes, both agda and pichhra (upper and backward castes). The local body representatives, cutting across caste lines, voted for the RJD. I will keep my word and raise their genuine concerns and demands in the legislative council.'
Former Sandesh MLA Arun Yadav also termed the result a success of the RJD's 'A to Z' strategy. 'Be it mukhiyas, ward councillors or panchayat representatives, voters from both Agda and Pichhda castes and all communities wholeheartedly supported the Grand Alliance,' he said.
Sonu, son of former RJD MLC Lal Das Rai, is also related to former MLA Vijendra Yadav and former minister Udit Rai. However, local leaders said his grassroots work, including involvement with Ara Ramlila Samiti and outreach among local representatives, played a key role in his victory.
This victory underscores the effectiveness of the RJD's strategy of building a broad coalition across the caste spectrum, from upper castes (A) to backward castes (Z), in consolidating support for the Grand Alliance.
