India General Elections 2024: Cong challenges BJP in Patna Sahib amid economic crisis, drug menace

Congress national spokesperson Dr Anshul Avijit is running against BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad in the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar The state has long struggled with brain drain crumbling infrastructure and a rising drug abuse problem with mafias exploiting youths and being aided by corrupt officials Dr Avijit a Cambridge graduate attributes these issues to lsquoextreme economic distressrsquo neglected by both central and state governmentsDespite Patna Sahib being seen as a BJP stronghold Dr Avijit is confident of his chances stating that the BJPrsquos dominance is an illusion He points out the resentment towards the current BJP MP who faces protests ldquoThe BJP has just created an illusion out of arrogancehellipitrsquos not their territoryrdquo said the Congress candidateDr Avijit grandson of freedom fighter Babu Jagjeevan Ram addresses key issues like unemployment poor economic policies the drug crisis and decaying infrastructureExcerpts from an interviewThis Lok Sabha seat is considered a BJP stronghold and its candidate Ravi Shankar Prasad is a seasoned politician Donrsquot you think your candidature is going to make it easy for the sitting MP to win this seat againI am not a new face I come from a political family My grandfather Babu Jagjeevan Ram and my mother Meira Kumar have deep political roots My grandmother was Bihars first woman cabinet minister Irsquove been active in elections since 1986 and have been the Congress partys national spokesperson for the past fourfive years The idea that Patna Sahib is a BJP stronghold is a myth Its the people who decide not the party The response from the public has been positive and theres strong resentment against the current MP Ravi Shankar Prasad who hasnt engaged with the constituency People have even put up posters asking WHERE IS OUR MP and he is often met with black flagsComment on nepotism in politics which remains a contentious issueI am the finest example of nepotism in Indian politics I gather strength from my family So for me it is not a weaknessAre you banking heavily on the popularity of your grandparents and mother Meira KumarAny individual is a composite of many factors A personality is made of many things My strength cannot be taken away from me This is my background I have my own personality and have made significant achievements in life My academic qualifications and work experiences speak a lot about meThe youth are worried about their future Unemployment and inflation are core national issues How would you address this if you winThe governments macroeconomic failures are evident and young people are suffering the most Unemployment inflation and lack of investment are major issues Our Congress party guarantees pahli naukri pakki ensuring educated youth get jobs Weve done this in Karnataka and Telangana and we will do it here tooJob guarantee is our top priority The current governments policies like demonetisation GST and pandemic mismanagement have led to economic disaster They favour capitalists causing unemployment to rise There are 30 lakh government vacancies why arenrsquot they filled I aim to create an IT hub in Patna Sahib to prevent brain drain from Bihar People from Bihar contribute globally an IT hub will create local job opportunitiesBiharrsquos primary schools and health infrastructure are in poor condition Families cant afford private education and medical costs The system and double engine sarkar have collapsed leading to Patnas mismanagement and deteriorationThe drug mafias have entrenched themselves deeply in Bihar and the youth are profoundly affected But no political party is talking about this issue today How would you eradicate this issue of drug menace if you become an MPThe city is in crisis due to extreme economic distress with issues in electricity water infrastructure health and education The current government lacks a vision to secure the future for the youth Immediate focus is needed on health education and infrastructure to make the city liveable If given the chance the youth can improve conditions here Patna once beautiful has deteriorated due to mismanagementFloods drainage issues and crumbling streets need urgent attention My grandfathers house in Patna a historic site from where the lsquoQuit India movementrsquo was launched was submerged in 10 feet of water due to poor planningIf elected I will address these issues to make Patna a better place for everyoneJune 4Day of results