Mehfuz Alam/Patna

Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi, the candidate of India Alliance from the Madhubani Lok Sabha Constituency in Bihar has promised that he would strive to address the basic problems of this neglected area through the implementation of all Central schemes.

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

If he wins the election, his priorities will include concrete steps for the implementation of central schemes including the establishment of AIIMS, medical colleges, schools, central schools, Naudeh Vidhalya, employment management, etc., he said in an exclusive interview with Awaz-the Voice.

All the political parties are working hard for the second round of polling in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Bihar's Madhubani which is known across India for its paintings will see a direct contest between NDA and India Alliance. Ali Ashraf Fatmi is contesting as a RJD candidate from Madhubani.

Ali Ashraf Fatmi said that if he wins the election, he will start all developmental work in the constituency. His focus will be women, education, health, employment, youth, farmers, and labour issues. "Lack of educational facilities and problems due to recurring floods will be solved," he said.

Besides, he also said that the scanty transportation services to and from the area to the rest of the country was a major problem facing Madhubani and he would address it through more train services.

Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi on campaign trail

He also said that twodefunct sugar mills of the area will be made operational in case people give him the mandate in the elections.

Ali Ashraf Fatmi, 68, is an alumna of the Aligarh Muslim University He has been active in politics for 15 years and represented the Darbhanga Lok Sabha constituency four times. He was a minister in the UPA government from 2004-09.

He was elected from Darbhanga Lok Sabha constituency in 1991 on a Janata Dal ticket. Next, he won elections from Darbhanga Lok Sabha in 1996 and 1998. In 1999, Ali Ashraf Fatmi faced defeat by the BJP candidate Kriti Azad.

In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Ali Ashraf Fatmi staged a comeback and became a minister in the UPA government. In two subsequent general elections. he was again defeated.

Ali Ashraf Fatmi was expelled by RJD from his party before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Ali Ashraf Fatmi joined the JDU in 2019 and was made the National General Secretary of Nitish Kumar's party. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Darbhanga and Madhubani Lok Sabha seats were won by the BJP and Ali Ashraf Fatmi resigned to rejoin the RJD.

Now he is the RJD candidate from Madhubani. Ali Ashraf Fatmi says that after a long political journey, he knows what the public wants.

A woman voter blessing Ali Ashraf Fatmi

He said that many central schemes are not usually implemented on the ground. "If these schemes are implemented honestly, people's lives will change."

Ali Ashraf Fatmi said he has launched a dozen trains from Darbhanga, established a school and a central school, and showed his best performance in solving various local problems in his past tenures. He says the common people want to see honesty and seriousness of their representative towards the work. "I have the requisite experience for doing the right things."

Ali Ashraf Fatmi is a senior leader and has represented Darbhanga Lok Sabha constituency four times and has also been a Union Minister.

It was during his ministership that the Sachar Committee was set up to look into the prevailing social and economic conditions of the minorities.  The report was followed by another committee headed by Ali Ashraf Fatmi that made recommendations for raising the educational levels of Muslims in India.

Ali Ashraf Fatmi says that after his report, the AMU announced the establishment of its branches in five states, including Bihar. "AMU branch was to be set up at Kishanganj in Bihar, and it is another matter that the work on it is incomplete to date."

Ali Ashraf Fatmi also showed great interest at that time in implementing the Central Government schemes and establishing the Central School and Nayodya Vidyalaya in the constituency.

Ali Ashraf Fatmi says that not much development has taken place in the Madhubani Lok Sabha constituency. The only identity of this area is the traditional art of Madhubani paintings while all other areas like health, trade, education, school, college, medical, have been neglected.

He says that if he wins the election, his priorities will include the establishment of AIIMS, medical colleges, schools, central schools, Nav Deh Vidhaliya, employment management, total factories, and other central schemes.

Ali Ashraf Fatmi on the campaign trail

He also said that apart from the educational welfare of women and establishing schools and colleges for them, he plans to work for the development of farmers and workers.

Ali Ashraf Fatmi says that a majority of the population of Madhubani lives in villages where development has not touched the lives of the people so far. He would try to solve the basic problem of rural areas on a priority basis.

Madhubani is a backward area where people face problems in terms of employment, education, health and even commuting. The areas lack railway connectivity and farmers face a huge set of problems due to recurring floods.

Madhubani Lok Sabha Constituency has two defunct sugar mills which Fatmi says he will make operational. The area of late has become well known for the production of Makhana, foxnut, the superfood exported in big quantities.

Due to the lack of employment, the people of the area have to migrate to other cities. In this election, common people are hoping that whoever wins the election will address their basic problems.

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Ali Ashraf Fatmi promises to implement all central schemes in earnest. He said that if we get an opportunity in Madhubani, we will work on the basic issues of this area, especially on employment, health, education, and farmers' issues. Along with this, the farmers and laborers of Madhubani are facing huge difficulties due to the flood affected, appropriate steps will be taken for this. According to him, there is a lack of educational institutions here, and the issue of education has always been a part of my priorities, so I will try to solve it at any cost.