LALGANJ, Nov. 2 -- ( VAISHALI )

At just 29, Shivani Shukla, the Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) candidate from Lalganj, stands out in Bihar's gritty political battlefield - not just for her youth and simplicity but for the sheer suddenness of her entry into politics.

The daughter of incarcerated don-turned-politician Vijay Kumar Shukla alias Munna Shukla, a three-time former MLA, Shivani is among the youngest contenders in the two-phase Bihar assembly elections scheduled for November 6 and 11.

Educated in law from Alliance University, Bengaluru, and armed with a master's degree from Leeds University, UK, Shivani represents a rare blend of legal acumen and local rootedness in a state where political inheritance often trumps merit.

"I was ...