SIWAN, Oct. 27 -- In the dusty lanes and bustling bazaars of Siwan, the name Mohammad Shahabuddin, a former strongman-turned-politician, still hangs like a spectre over every political conversation, more potent than the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) banners fluttering in the wind or the tentative smiles of his son, Osama Shahab, the party's fresh-faced candidate from Siwan's adjoining constituency Raghunathpur. Shahabuddin, who once ruled Siwan as his personal fiefdom, died in 2021 in Delhi's Tihar Jail during the deadly Covid wave, a life convict serving time for multiple murders and kidnappings that defined an era of unbridled terror. He was booked for as many as 45 cases including attempted murder in 1996 of Superintendent of Police, SK Singhal, in which he was convicted, and broad daylight murder of Chanda Babu's sons. He was, however, acquitted in murder of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan. Despite his death, his shadows of fear loom large over Siwan. "Saheb's shadow hasn't faded; it's Osama who's stepping into it, but no one forgets the fear," says Raju Sah, a tea stall owner in Siwan Sadar, his voice dropping as he recalls the 1990s when journalists and activists vanished or were silenced for crossing the don. Osama Shahab, a 30-something political novice with a law degree and no scars from his father's blood-soaked legacy, is making his debut from Raghunathpur, a seat long synonymous with the Shahabuddin family's clout. Unlike his father, who boasted of making Siwan "safe for women" while orchestrating a reign that saw over 20 murders linked to his name, Osama speaks in measured tones about development and youth empowerment. "I have nothing to say on what others say about my father and me. People know him (Md Shahabuddin) and for his work in the district. There has been no development in Siwan in the last 20 years. An engineering College and a under construction medical college came here during the last 20-year tenure of Nitish Kumar while indoor stadium, Rajendra Stadium, Town Hall, Parbhawati Devi Mahila College, engineering college, polytechnic college, unani college and hospital etc. came in Siwan during the tenure of Shahabuddin. Now unemployment is growing and the youth are forced to move out. Politicians talk of religion or caste only," said Osama, exuding confidence about his victory. Yet, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has seized on his lineage, invoking Shahabuddin's ghost to resurrect memories of the "Jungle Raj" under RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav's chief ministership in the 1990s. At rallies, Union home minister Amit Shah has thundered against the RJD for fielding "the son of a criminal," framing it as a return to lawlessness. "They want to bring back the days when Siwan bled," Shah declared in a recent Siwan rally, drawing cheers from Hindu voters still nursing generational grudges. JD(U) nominee Vikas Singh, who is pitted against Osama, hopes to wrest the seat, riding the 'good governance' of Nitish Kumar at the Centre and Narendra Modi's nationalist and development agenda. "People are backing me owing to various social welfare schemes launched by the Nitish Kumar government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Osama is not a challenge," said Vikas Singh, adding that the constituency would change its mandate after a decade's break this time. Close to 40% of the Raghunathpur voters are from Muslim and Yadav communities, the two sections that have lRGELY been supportive OF THE RJD. Mohammad Ali, an RJD foot-soldier in Ziradei, said they have a strong caste combine but AIMIM and Jan Suraaj can play a spoiler. "They have been put up by the BJP to eat our votes. AIMIM confuses Muslim voters and Jan Swaraj is stealing our Dalit votes," he said, claiming they are more cautious this time. But, the strong presence of CPI (ML), who once fought with Shahabuddin's muscle power, is Osama's hope for a win. Chandrashekhar Prasad, a student CPI(ML) leader was gunned down in open. "We spat fire at the don; now we hoist RJD flags - it's alliance chains, not conviction," said a Darauli CPI(ML) veteran, not willing to be named. Shyam Prasad Yadav, a Mahuja farmer in Darauli, distils the don's hubris: "Saheb snatched prime town plots with goons, but taunting Nitish as 'the CM of circumstances' in 2015-17 doomed him. Lalu called him one of the founders of RJD; Tejashwi echoed, but Nitish yanked bail in the Gupta double-murder, shipping him to Tihar from his comforts at Bhagalpur Central Jail. He rotted there in 2021." Yadav pauses, holding a spade in hand: "Politics chews its own-now Osama? Voters want fields, not feuds." Harishankar Yadav won from Raghunathpur in 2020 and 2015 by over 60,000 votes. It may not be much different this time. "They may win from here but the Shahabuddin factor would compensate in other seats," said a local BJP leader, sitting in a small party office in Siwan town. In the past two decades, Siwan inches forward, mirroring Bihar's boom-GSDP growth eyeing 22% in 2025-26. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, unveiled Rs.5,200 crore in Siwan projects last June, from rail lines to new highways. As per government records, the district all weather road coverage has increased from 40% in 2005 to 80%, though floods still strand hamlets. Electricity, once a 25% luxury, now covers 99% of homes as per 2021's NFHS-5. Literacy has increased from 52% in 2001 (women at 36%) to 70% by 2011 and child marriages dipping from 25% to 21%. School enrolment in the 6-14-year age group has increased from 93% to 99% per ASER 2023 report. However, only 42% of Class 5 rural kids read Class 2 text, a slip from 2005's 50%. Siwan's sex ratio shines at 1,141 females per 1,000 males, defying Bihar's skew, yet infant mortality clings to 47 per 1,000 live births (NFHS-5), double the national average of 28, despite 86% institutional deliveries (up from 75%). "We've got lights and pukka roads, but not clinics," said Kali Paswan, a Darauli daily wager, bandaging her child's arm with wasted clothes....