Siwan Seat: Who Is Hena Shahab, Shahabuddin's Widow Fighting as Independent Against RJD?

Siwan Lok Sabha Election 2024: The electoral battle in Siwan Lok Sabha constituency will witness a three-cornered fight with JD(U), RJD and heavyweight independent candidate Hena Shahab in the fray. 

Shahab, wife of former gangster-turned-MP late Mohammad Shahabuddin, will take on RJD candidate Awadh Bihari Chaudhary and NDA candidate from JD(U) Vijayalaxmi Devi. 

Former Bihar assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary, a multiple-term MLA from Siwan, filed his nomination papers in the presence of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday.  

Meanwhile, the NDA ally JD(U) dropped the name of its sitting MP Kavita Singh to announce the candidature of Vijaylaxmi Devi who recently joined the party.

The pitch for Siwan seat was disrupted for both the parties after Hena Shahab on Tuesday filed her nomination papers as an independent candidate.

Who is Hena Shahab? 

Hena Shahab fought from the Siwan Lok Sabha seat thrice on RJD ticket, losing every time, following the arrest of her late husband in a series of criminal case. 

Shahabuddin was elected as Lok Sabha MP for four successive terms between 1996 and 2004 from the Siwan constituency. He was also elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1990 and 1995 from the Ziradei constituency.

He faced disqualification from contesting elections after a local court in 2007 sentenced him to life imprisonment for kidnapping of a CPI-ML (Liberation) worker eight years ago.

Shahabuddin, aged 53, died at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital in Delhi in 2021 after succumbing to complications stemming from COVID-19. 

Hena Shahab failed to carry forward the political of Shahabuddin after losing three back-to-back Lok Sabha elections from the Siwan segment. This year again, she is hoping to turn the tide in favour by trumping the RJD and JDU candidate.