Patna: Deepak Prakash, the newly appointed Panchayati Raj Minister in Bihar, faces scrutiny over his involvement in the recent assembly elections. Before taking on his ministerial role, he acted as the counting agent for independent candidate Ramayan Paswan in the Sasaram constituency. Prakash monitored the counting process throughout the day, but Paswan secured only 327 votes, resulting in the loss of his security deposit. This situation is particularly noteworthy as Prakash’s mother, Snehlata Kushwaha, was also a candidate for the NDA in the same constituency. Observers are speculating that Prakash’s official role may have been a front for him to oversee the vote count on behalf of his mother, stirring concerns about potential nepotism.
Additionally, Prakash’s father, Upendra Kushwaha, leader of the RLM party, has faced backlash for appointing his son as a minister without any electoral experience. The unconventional nature of Prakash’s approach has sparked further discussion on social media, where users have commented on his casual outfit—comprising jeans, a shirt, and slippers—during the swearing-in ceremony. His identity card as a counting agent, issued by the Election Commission, has also been widely shared online.