Ranjit wanted to be Laloo?s MP

Since his native Nalanda is represented by Defence Minister George Fernandes, Ranjit was angling for the Rashtriya Janata Dal ticket.

Politics was next on Ranjit Don’s agenda, and his target was the Parliament of India.

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Since his native Nalanda is represented by Defence Minister George Fernandes, Ranjit was angling for the Rashtriya Janata Dal ticket. He was hopeful that well-placed connections in Bihar’s ruling party would help him get the ticket.

Right from securing admission of their wards to prestigious institutions to funding their campaigns, Ranjit obliged many politicians. He often boasted that a ticket from any recognised party would be no big deal.

The grapevine has it that he helped a Bihar minister buy a flat in a posh Mumbai locality, and that he had funded the campaign of a union minister from Bihar during the last Lok Sabha elections.

Stepping up political activities recently, Ranjit formed the Magadh Vikas Manch to do grassroots political work. He convened meetings of the manch twice a month, and the turnouts were said to be impressive.

Ranjit organised three meetings in Hilsa subdivision in September to take stock of the current political situation. He openly said that the local MP and MLA would have to answer for the area’s underdevelopment. He promised every youngster a job if he won the next Lok Sabha polls, and this ruffled many feathers.

Ranjit wanted to contest the last assembly polls on a Samata Party ticket, but held back on the promise of a seat in the legislative council. But when he realised the ticket wasn’t forthcoming, he switched loyalties to the RJD.

His in-laws think his political ambitions led to his downfall: ma-in-law Bachchi Devi warned him, but to no avail.