Once known for freedom fighter Prafulla Chaki, who shot himself in Mokama on May 2, 1908 while escaping British police, the town later became infamous for caste violence.

Over the past three decades, the Mokama Assembly constituency has turned into a battleground for two don-turned-politicians — Anant Singh and Surajbhan Singh — both facing numerous criminal charges including murder, kidnapping, extortion and illegal possession of arms.

After being released from jail a few weeks ago, four-term former MLA Anant Singh is set to contest on a JD(U) ticket against Surajbhan’s wife Veena Devi of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

Belonging to the upper-caste Bhumihar community, both strongmen have also maintained significant influence among other social groups since the 1990s. The seat has large

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