Mukesh Sahni aka ‘Son of Mallah’ joins RJD-led Grand Alliance in Bihar

Former Bollywood set designer Mukesh Sahni, who calls himself ‘son of Mallah’ (boatman), on Sunday joined the Congress-RJD-led Grand Alliance in Bihar for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Sahni, who launched his own political outfit Vikasheel Insaan Party, is considered a rising name in the Bihar politics and has a strong base in some parts of the state. He joined the Grand Alliance in presence of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha. “I would like to welcome Mukesh Sahni ji, son of Mallah, to our grand alliance, and I believe that him joining the grand alliance will strengthen it,” Tejashwi Yadav announced in a press conference.

The announcement of Sahni joining the Grand Alliance came hours after the BJP president Amit Shah in a joint press conference with JDU chief Nitish Kumar and LJP’s Ram Vilas Paswan announced NDA’s seat-sharing formula for 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Bihar. Earlier, there were reports that Sahni may go with the BJP-led NDA. However, with the BJP making public its seat-sharing pact which had no place for the 'son of Mallah', he joined the Grand Alliance.

Also Read | NDA seat-sharing a ‘verbal’ pact, Ram Vilas Paswan will join Grand Alliance, claims RJD

Tejashwi Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD): I would like to welcome Mukesh Sahni ji, son of Mallah, to our grand alliance, and I believe that him joining the grand alliance will strengthen it. pic.twitter.com/HqMDcyDCe8

— ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2018

Although he didn't contest the 2015 Bihar Assembly elections, he made the headlines when he vowed to provide a political platform to the Nishads, who include a number of backward sub-casts, including the Mallahs. Before turning to politics, he was a set designer in Bollywood. He has designed the sets of several blockbusters movies, including Shahrukh-starrer Devdas and Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

After Kushwaha, inducting Mukesh Sahni in Grand Alliance is considered a master move by the RJD and the Congress. While Kushwahas make up around 6 per cent of Bihar's population, the Nishads consist 14 per cent. If Sahni succeeded in bringing them all into his fold, he could very well influence the outcome in at least 15 of the total 40 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state.

Also Read | Bihar seat-sharing formula: BJP, JDU to fight on 17 each, LJP gets 6 in 2019 Lok Sabha elections

Earlier this week, former Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha had joined the Grand Alliance. Kushwaha had recently quit as the Union minister and snapped ties with the BJP over the depleted number of seats offered to him.