Voters in Kishanganj are unaffected by the Citizenship Amendment Act and seek work

Unfazed by the announcement from the Central government that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) would be implemented, voters in Bihar’s Kishanganj Lok Sabha constituency, which borders Bangladesh and Nepal, are primarily concerned about migration, rising prices, and a lack of employment opportunities.

According to the economic assessment of 2022, Kishanganj, which has over 18 lakh voters, is among the poorest districts in Bihar, with a per capita income of Rs 23,000.

Kishanganj’s illiteracy rate, at 57.04%, is still much lower than the 77.7% national average.

The only seat that the RJD-led coalition gained in Bihar, Kishanganj, was held by the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The current Congress MP Mohammed Jawaid, JD(U) candidate Muzahid Alam, and state president of AIMIM Akhtarul Iman will compete in this seat.

Bilal Ahmad is employed in a supermarket. It is difficult for him to provide his family with two square meals a day. Here, we are concerned about the dearth of job prospects. Even basic groceries like veggies, jeera, and pulses are out of reach for those like me who make Rs 5,000 a month. We have no anxiety about the CAA. What matters least to us is the politics that are being waged. Employment is what we need,” he said.

On April 26, the constituency will have elections.