Discussing Past & Present Bihar Elections with Darbhanga’s Dadaji

Darbhanga’s 90-year-old Dadaji, who has witnessed several elections talks us through how leaders have changed.

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma

The Quint reaches Bihar’s Darbhanga district and strikes a conversation with a 90-year-old dadaji named Mahant Thakur. He has witnessed several elections, dating from the pre-independence era, and talks us through how elections and political leaders have changed over time.

He throws light on how he has seen everything in the pre-independence era but hardly remembers it now. He boasts of the fact that he has seen Gandhi Ji.

On being asked about the difference between leaders then and now, he replied that politicians today are all cheats, adding: “Today’s leaders lack honesty.” 

On being questioned whether Pandit Nehru made a lot of mistakes, he instantly denied the statement and appreciated Nehru’s work. He added that Nehru did a lot of good work.

Dadaji Thakur explains that he would decide whom to vote for this election only when he sees what work each party has done. When asked to choose between Lalu and Nitish, he ended the chat saying that “he has nothing to do with them.”