Patna, Oct 19 (IANS): Political strategist turned politician Prashant Kishor on Saturday fielded Khilafat Hussain and Jitendra Paswan from the Belaganj and Imamganj constituencies, respectively, for the upcoming by-elections in Bihar.

Hussain is a well-known figure in Gaya, having served as the Head of the Mathematics Department at Mirza Ghalib College from 2002 to 2017.

With a long academic career, Hussain has been a respected mathematician. He previously worked as a lecturer in the same college from 1976 to 2002. His family's involvement in academia continues, as his daughter-in-law, Habiba Bint Mansoor, is a demonstrator in the Geology Department, and his son, Muzaffar Ahmed Arman, is a professor of the Persian language at Mirza Ghalib College.

Kishor has strategically selected Jitendra Paswan, a well-known paediatrician for the Imamganj seat.

Paswan is highly respected in the Sherghati region for his medical expertise and humanitarian work, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when he provided free medical services.

His reputation for charging minimal consultancy fees and his background as a local leader, having served as a Mukhiya's representative, bolstered his candidacy.

In Belaganj, the party has fielded Khilafat Hussain, a prominent academic figure, to challenge the traditional political landscape dominated by the RJD.

Belaganj has long been a stronghold of the Yadav community with RJD leader Surendra Prasad Yadav winning the seat seven times and vacating it after being elected Member of Parliament from Jehanabad.

The Yadav-Muslim (MY) vote bank is crucial for the RJD, and by selecting a Muslim candidate like Professor Hussain, the Jan Suraaj Party aims to weaken this traditional equation, potentially fracturing the RJD's hold on the seat.

In Imamganj, a seat historically dominated by Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S), the Jan Suraaj Party has tactically fielded Paswan, a Dalit, to challenge the expected NDA candidate.

With Manjhi's resignation from the MLA post after being elected to the Lok Sabha from the Gaya seat in 2024, it was widely expected that a member of Manjhi's family would contest the Imamganj seat.

Understanding that the NDA will likely field a Mahadalit candidate, Kishor has positioned Paswan as a direct rival, leveraging his local popularity and Dalit identity to compete in this crucial constituency.