Former MP from Ranchi Ramtahal Choudhary joined Congress in Delhi. For days, there were speculations about Ramtahal joining Congress. Chaudhary joined the Congress in presence of Congress leader Pawan Kheda, Jharkhand Congress in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir and state president Rajesh Thakur.
Choudhary, who comes from Kurmi caste having a sizable population in the constituency is likely to be fielded on Congress ticket against Ranchi sitting MP and BJP nominee Sanjay Seth. Last time in 2019, Chaudhary was denied ticket from BJP due to age factor, after which he contested the elections as an independent. However, there was no success.
“Impressed by the policies of the Congress, I have joined the party today. Just a couple of months before the elections, I was asked to give in writing that I will not contest the elections. I said it’s dictatorship and resigned then and there (from the BJP),” Choudhary, the five-time former MP, said after joining the Congress.
Welcoming Choudhary, Mir said Ram Tahal Choudhary is a prominent name in Jharkhand and is known for his service, dedication, participation in several movements and a long political career.
“When the BJP did not recognise him, he contested the polls as an Independent candidate and even today, he is valued there (in Jharkhand),” Mir said.
Choudhary will support Congress in this election and according to sources, he has not made any demand. BJP had denied ticket to Chaudhary and made Sanjay Seth its candidate, who is currently an MP and this time too he has got the ticket. Ram Tahal Chaudhary, born in 1942, was BJP MP from Ranchi Lok Sabha seat from 1991 to 2004 and then from 2014 to 2019. Apart from being a politician, he is also a social worker and educationist. In 2019, though Choudhary contested the election as an Independent candidate it was not easy. He got only 2.4% vote share. Sanjay Seth of Bharatiya Janata Party was the winner with 7,06,828 Votes and won by 2,83,026 votes. He received 57.21% Vote Share. Followed by Seth, the runner up was Subodh Kant Sahay of Indian National Congress getting 4,23,802 votes which was 34.3% of vote share.
Ram Tahal Choudhary who contested the election as Independent got only 29,597 Votes, which was 2.4% Vote Share.
Seth, despite illness, is much active both in the constituency and in the House. Seth is credited with bringing several projects to Ranchi including the Ranchi Ratu Road flyover among others. Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth, despite having recovered from a prolonged illness, recorded 87% attendance.
The Congress party has till now not declared its candidates in Jharkhand including for Ranchi. The elections for the Ranchi parliamentary seat would be held on May 25, while that in Tamar, which is part of Khunti seat, and Mandar, which is under Lohardaga seat, would be held on May 13.
