Paper short abstract:

When democratic elections are regular, free and fair, why do voters support politicians that are widely known to be criminals and strongmen? This paper investigates the popular perceptions and myths that surround an infamous don-turned-politician in Pratapgarh district, Eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Paper long abstract:

After the 2012 elections the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly has 403 MLAs out of which 189, or 47 %, have declared criminal cases against them. 98 of these (24 %) have been charged with serious crimes like murder and rape. Not merely a nexus between politicians and mafiosos for mutual perks and assistance, UP today sees a situation where well-known criminals themselves increasingly enter the electoral race and, crucially, succeed. Ruling from his hometown Kunda in Pratapgarh district, Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias 'Raja Bhaiya' is an independent MLA who has held the food and civil supplies department portfolio in both the present and the previous (2004-7) Samajwadi Party governments. Allegedly a descendant of the former royal family of Benti, Raja Bhaiya draws upon the lineage and clout of his land-owning family, and has been winning his native assembly constituency Kunda without exception since he first ran for office in 1993. While running as an independent, Raja Bhaiya has been patronized most consistently by the Samajwadi Party, but previously also by the BJP. This support can be explained by a simple caste equation: he is a Rajput and the parties need him to gain the support of this numerically significant community. However, this equation does not explain his massive and persistent support locally. Looking beyond the electoral strategies and caste calculations of political parties, this paper will use the case of Raja Bhaiya to indicate the roles of myth, fear and fascination in the making of South Asian political leaders.