The legacy of former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar is being ripped apart in three directions on his own home turf in Ballia district.
Ironically, Chandra Shekhar never promoted or encouraged his family in politics while he was alive, his legacy is now being claimed by three of his closest relatives who are seeking votes in Ballia for three different parties. The only saving grace is that they are not contesting against each other.
The late Chandra Shekhar’s younger son, Neeraj Shekhar, is a Samajwadi Party MP from Ballia and has been relentlessly campaigning for the Samajwadi candidates in the district.
The former Prime Minister’s grandson, Ravi Shankar Singh, is a BSP MLC and he is campaigning for his party candidates.
Chandra Shekhar’s nephew Praveen Singh, on the other hand, is campaigning for the Congress in Ballia. He was also a contender for the ticket from the Bansdih Assembly seat but a last minute glitch left him out of the arena.
All three relatives of the former Prime Minister are happily using his photographs and sharing his memories in their speeches to further their individual political gains.
“It is unfortunate that these people are destroying all that Chandra Shekhar was known for. He strongly opposed dynasty in politics and now his immediate as well as extended family is playing politics with his memory. Chandra Shekhar is held in very high esteem here and those who knew him closely are distressed with the prevailing state of affairs,” says Kundan Singh, whose father was a close associate of the former Prime Minister.
Sentiments for the late Chandra Shekhar are so strong in Ballia that even his political opponents dare not deride him and his memory — either in private or in public.
“But we do not like the manner in which three different parties are using his photographs in their posters and selling his memory to get votes. However, we are confident that the people of Ballia will not be conned by the campaign because they are very well aware of the political views of Chandra Shekhar,” said another of his close friends.
Interestingly, one of the former Prime Minister’s closest aides, Ram Govind Choudhury, is also contesting the Bansdih seat on the SP ticket and his posters carry photographs of the late Chandra Shekhar alongside those of Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav.