Polling for the lone Rajya Sabha seat has become almost inevitable on July 2 with both the BJP and JMM fielding their candidates into the fray. Where MJ Akbar filed his papers on Monday as a BJP candidate, former Minister in the Hemant Soren Government Hazi Hussain Ansari joined the battle from the JMM.
Name of noted journalist MJ Akbar that was cleared by the BJP high command on Sunday got approved in a legislative body meeting called at the party office in the morning in his presence. Chief Minister Raghubar Das in the presence of BJP State president Ravindra Rai and AJSU supremo Sudesh Mahto and Minister Chandra Prakash Chaudhary proposed Akbar’s name for the Rajya Sabha candidate that was thumped by host of party MlAs.
later, Akbar flanked by former Chief Minister Arjun Munda and the BJP president arrived at the Assembly followed by troops of BJP legislators and the Chief Minister. Akbar filed his nominations in three sets with Assembly Secretary Sushil Kumar Singh who has been made the Returning Office for the poll.
Names of proposers in the three sets of nominations included Saryu Roy, Neera Yadav, Radha Krishna Kishore, Nirbhay Sahabadi, laxaman Tudu, Ganesh Ganjhu, Randheer Singh, Menaka Sardar, Bimla Pradhan, Sadhu Charan Mahato, Satyender Nath Tiwari, Anant Ojha, Viranchi Narayan, Phoolchand Mandal, Narayan Das, Alok Chaurasia, Dhullu Mahto and Manish Jaiswal from the BJP while lone AJSU leader who put his signature was Chandra Prakash Chaudhary.
Interestingly, the BJP strategists ensured at least three names — Randheer Singh, Phoolchand Mandal and Alok Chaurasia-as the proposers who had defected from the JVM to join the BJP after Assembly polls last year. The Opposition, including the JMM has demanded from Speaker Dinesh Oraon to restrict them from voting. The Speaker nevertheless brushed aside the demand citing his previous order that allows all the six members to participate in all the activities till pending the judgment on the issue expected to come after final hearing on July 3.
With this the fate of MJ Akbar has been sealed as the ruling alliance taking five MlAs from the AJSU along touches the figure of 48 elected members, including the Speaker. The strength is way ahead of the united Opposition’s camp i.e. 33.
Regardless of the number game, the JMM went ahead pressing Ansari but not before playing ‘local vs outsider’ card in order to garner support of other parties in Opposition. However, the party named Ansari as united Opposition candidate without making formal consultation with significant parties such as the Congress or the JVM.
This was the reason why none of the MlA turned proposer of Ansari apart from JMM’s Hemant Soren, Joba Manjhi, Ravindra Nath Mahto, Kunal Sarangi, Shashi Bhusan Samad, Chamra linda, Champai Soren, Jaiprakash Bhai Patel, Dashrath Gagrai and Amit Mahto in the two sets. later, soon after filling nominations, Hemant Soren along with Ansari drove to JVM supremo Babulal Marnadi seeking support of his two remaining MlAs on the poll day without any official word from him in return. Straight contest on cards for Rajya Sabha
“Who is he (MJ Akbar)IJ If you know please make me aware as well,” retorted Hemant Soren to the scribes and at the same time kept others guessing, “We have come into the contest and it has to be seen later what will happen. Elections are fought under a strategy. Only time would turn pages.” Ansari sought votes from all the MlAs of Jharkhand on the basis of their conscience and proved himself a local candidate who had worked for the people of Jharkhand, quite unlike “an outsider Akbar with unknown credentials”.
Ironically, the seat with curtailed tenure left of one year is undergoing poll when KD Singh, a JMM candidate having no connections with Jharkhand, had resigned. The last election Jharkhand saw for the Upper House was in the form of Premchand Gupta, also a JMM supported “outsider”.
looking at the writing on the wall, euphoric national spokesperson of the BJP thanked the party for the gesture. “I am thankful for the support I got from the BJP MlAs and leaders. I would serve the people of the State with all dedication,” said MJ Akbar before leaving the premise. The CM also welcomed him in the State and thanked his partymen for extending their support.