Barhi, the Assembly seat where Prime Minister Modi addressed a rally on Monday, is a case for political scientists; because it is a test of whether the candidate matters or the party.

The sitting MLA, Manoj Yadav, had won on a Congress ticket in 2014 despite the Modi wave. Now he is the BJP candidate. His rival Umashankar Akela, who had won lost in 2014 on a BJP ticket, is now the Congress candidate.

Barhi, 45km from the Hazaribagh district headquarters and 133km from Ranchi, is considered a Congress bastion; the party has won seven times.

(The Telegraph picture)

“The BJP betrayed me but I would say Manoj has made a big mistake life by leaving the Congress,” Akela said. “The people of Barhi now understand that Manoj just wants to stay in power. The people will teach him a lesson.”

Manoj Yadav said: “I have changed my party for my self-worth and self-esteem. I did everything for Barhi and remained available for the people round the clock. It’s my work that made people to vote for me four times (1995, 2000, 2005 and 2014).”

Local political experts said this was toughest battle of Yadav’s political career.

“He is known to be a smart politician with the skills to remain successful in politics. This time that skill will be put to its hardest test,” said a local BJP leader. “Though Manoj Yadav has joined us, many workers and leaders are not happy with him.”

Another local BJP leader claimed that a big section in the party was working secretly for Akela. Yadav’s supporters insisted that this was only a rumour being spread by the Congress to confuse the 2,83,741voters of Barhi.

“Manoj Yadav worked as a son of Barhi and not as a politician of Barhi,” said a BJP leader.

Akela, expectedly, was not impressed. “If he had worked for the prosperity of Barhi, why have no industries been set up here despite many big companies showing interest? Why are youths migrating from here for lack of jobs and why do villages still not have proper roads?” asked Akela.

“We still don’t know who to vote for,” said Gopal Kumar Yadav, a student of Annada College in Hazaribagh who is from Barhi.

• Barhi votes on December 12