Campaigning for the September 5 bypolls to Dumri assembly seat ended on Sunday with I.N.D.I.A bloc candidate Bebi Devi locked in a direct contest with NDA candidate Yashoda Devi.
The seat has turned out to be a prestigious one for both alliances amid Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) claiming that the I.N.D.I.A bloc will begin its victory journey from Dumri, while the NDA exuded confidence that it is all set to snatch the seat from JMM.
On last day of campaigning on Sunday, State Chief Minister Hemant Soren took part in the road show seeking votes for JMM candidate, while at the same time AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto too addressed public meetings.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of JMM MLA Jagarnath Mahto, former education minister, in April. Mahto had been representing the seat since 2004. The JMM has fielded Mahto's wife Bebi Devi as the I.N.D.I.A bloc nominee, while AJSU Party has fielded Yashoda Devi. Though, Yashoda Devi is AJSU party candidate, BJP leadership including state president Babulal Marandi has put his strength in the bypoll. The bypoll will also be the test of Marandi popularity as Dumri will be the first bypoll after Marandi was appointed as State BJP president.
BJP State President and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi has addressed several public meetings in the constituency seeking votes in support of NDA candidate Yasodha Devi. Marandi in his rallies has attacked the State government over corruption and loot of state mineral resources.
Marandi said that the present government has looted the state for the last three and a half years. Mines, minerals, land and sand stones have all been looted. Such a looter government needs to be thrown out of the state.
Marandi also raised the collapsed law and order situation of the state, stating that criminals in the state are unbridled. Incidents of murder, loot, theft, robbery, kidnapping have become common. Rape incidents are happening everyday. Daughters are being murdered, criminals are burning daughters with petrol.
He said that all this is happening because the present regime has engaged the state police not to restore law and order but to recover money.
Jharkhand unit of opposition I.N.D.I.A too has jointly campaigned for the Dumri by-poll to ensure the victory of its candidate. victory of its candidate, sources in it said on Saturday.
Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren appealed the voters to ensure the victory for the ruling alliance in the upcoming Dumri assembly bypoll as a tribute to former ministers and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leaders late Jagarnath Mahto and late Haji Hussain Ansari.
The chief minister had said the opposition in the state was attempting to win the election with money power and by creating divisions in society.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a general call for everyone to stay locked indoors. However, along with our ministers, we ensured that no poor person died of hunger, as many people in this state earn their livelihood daily. Two of our ministers were martyred due to Covid-19. Our senior minister, Haji Hussain Ansari, who was 75 years old, lost his life fighting the coronavirus. We paid tribute to him by appointing his son as a minister even before he became an MLA,” said Soren while addressing a rally at Dumri.
“Today is not the right day to count the achievements of my government. It’s time to pay tribute to Jagarnath Mahto, who lost his life serving the people despite the challenges posed by Covid-19. I have done my part by appointing Bebi Devi (his wife) as a minister. Now it’s your turn to pay tribute on September 5 (voting day),” Soren had also said.
Apart from these the seat also witnessed the entry of AIMIM. Slogans of Pakistan Zindabad were raised at the rallies. AIMIM candidate for Dumri by-election was booked for alleged 'pro-Pakistan' slogan raised during the party chief Asaduddin Owaisi's public rally in Giridih district.
Dumri Block Development Officer (BDO), Anwesha Ona, who is also a member of the flying squad, had said that the alleged video footage was examined with the footage of their videographers’ team before lodging the FIR. "Now police will take action accordingly," she said.
The AIMIM Jharkhand president Md Shakir, however, refuted the allegation terming it a "tampered video".
The polling for the by-election to the Dumri assembly constituency will be held on September 5, and the votes will be counted on September 8.
The by-election was necessitated due to the death of JMM MLA Jagarnath Mahto, the former education minister, in April. The JMM has fielded Mahto's wife Bebi Devi as the candidate of the INDIA bloc, while the AJSU Party has nominated Yashoda Devi as the NDA candidate.
In the 2019 assembly elections, Mahto defeated AJSU Party's Yashoda Devi by a margin of 34,288 votes. AIMIM's Rizvi was in the fourth position with 24,132 votes.
