With political heavyweights like Shibu Soren, Arjun Munda, Babulal Marandi, lalu Prasad Yadav among others canvassing for candidates in Panki and Godda bypolls, the high octane campaigning ended for both the constituencies on Saturday. Over five lakh voters of the constituencies will exercise their franchise on May 16 to elect two MlAs for the 82-member Assembly.
JVM Chief Babulal Marandi, JMM Supremo Shibu Soren and RJD Chief lalu Prasad Yadav held rallies for their candidates at Panki on Saturday, while in Godda BJP state president Ravindra Rai, HRD Minister Neera Yadav and Rajmahal MlA Anant Ojha, JMM executive president Hemant Soren among others did the last minute campaigning for their candidates.
The Godda Assembly constituency bordering Bihar was held by BJP’s Raghunandan Mandal whose demise in January this year necessitated the bypoll. However, the BJP candidate Amit Mandal, son of late Raghunandan Mandal, has a strong contender Sanjiv Marik Yadav from the JMM, who is a former IPS retired from DG rank.
The candidature of RJD candidate Sanjay Prasad Yadav is also said to be very crucial in the constituency with 2,69,064 voters. A total of 15 candidates are in the fray including 10 independent candidates in Godda.
On the other hand, in Panki the contest is said to be between JMM candidate SBP Mehta and Congress candidate Devendra Singh, whose father late Bidesh Singh was a heavyweight in the area. Bidesh Singh’s sudden demise in March led to the bye election.
The BJP has been banking on former minister Madhu Singh’s son lal Suraj, who has been an amateur in the field, said locals. The Congress candidate has got backing of RJD and JD (U) in Panki, while the JMM and the BJP are going alone. A total of nine candidates are in the fray, including three independents.
The state government has done all preparation for a free and fair polling in both constituencies on May 16. Security personnel from Central Paramilitary Forces, Jharkhand STF and local police have been deployed, especially in the sensitive areas of the two constituencies bordering other states. Naxal infested areas of Panki have also been sanitized said, police.