The former Chief Minister of Bihar, Jitam Ram Manjhi is locked in a tough battle with JDU leader, Uday Narain Chaudhary in Imamganj in the assembly elections.
As the election campaign intensifies in Bihar, a battle between two top Mahadalit leaders, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and speaker in the outgoing assembly, Uday Narain Chaudhary, in central Bihar is turning out to be one of the most closely fought duel in these elections.
The former chief minister has put his reputation at stake by deciding to take on the Janata Dal (United) leader from Imamganj seat. Mr Chaudhary has represented the seat in the assembly five times, which includes four in a row.
"I am here to slay the demon," said the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) leader, Mr Manjhi.
He had announced his candidature against Mr Chaudhary, who is considered close to chief minister Nitish Kumar. Mr Manjhi had accused him of working in a partisan manner as the Speaker by acting against Janata Dal (United) legislators supporting him.
Mr Chaudhary hit back saying that he felt "fortunate" if he was a reason behind Mr Manjhi's decision to resign as the chief minister.
In order to play safe, the former chief minister is also contesting from another reserved seat, Makhdumpur, from where he had won last time. His rival is a little known Rashtriya Janata Dal leader, Subedar Das.
But it is his public rivalry with the former speaker that has spiced up the contest in Imamganj, a naxal-affected constituency bordering Jharkhand, and having high population of Mahadalits.
Both the seats are going to polls on October 16 in the second phase.
"Aar-paar ki ladai hai (It's a do or die battle)," says Nisar Alam, a local trader in Imamganj, and supporter of Mr Manjhi.
Despite fighting as a BJP ally under the banner of the National Democratic Alliance, Mr Manjhi's has tried to reach out to the minority community by giving tickets to four Muslims out of the 21 seats his party is contesting.