Shah slams RJD over fielding Shahabu’s son

Patna: Union home minister Amit Shah, during an election rally in Saran district on Friday, took a sharp jab at the opposition RJD for nominating Osama Shahab, son of the late gangster-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin, as a candidate. Shah questioned the RJD's ability to ensure the safety of Bihar's citizens if it fields candidates with such controversial backgrounds.

Speaking at the rally in the poll-bound state, Shah said, "I reviewed the RJD's candidate list for the upcoming elections and noticed Shahabuddin's son's name. How can Bihar remain secure if RJD endorses such candidates? It's crucial for the people to be cautious of parties like RJD."


Osama Shahab has been fielded by the RJD from the Raghunathpur assembly constituency in Siwan, a region once dominated by his father, a multiple-term RJD MP. Shah praised CM Nitish Kumar for liberating Bihar from the ‘jungle raj' over the past 20 years.

"If there's a need to pledge against Lalu's ‘jungle raj' or recall how Lalu-Rabri restrained Bihar's youth two decades ago, Saran is the ideal place for that," Shah said.

Saran, once a stronghold for RJD chief Lalu Prasad, has seen a shift in political dominance. Prasad, who represented the Lok Sabha seat multiple times, lost his grip after his 2013 conviction in the fodder scam case, which barred him from elections. In subsequent elections, the BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy defeated RJD candidates, including Prasad's wife Rabri Devi, daughter Rohini Acharya and relative Chandrika Roy, maintaining the BJP's hold on the region.