RJD candidate Subhash Yadav flanked by RJD senior leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and others senior RJD leader today filed his nomination papers from Chatra — the seat which is likely to witness friendly fight between allies Congress, RJD. Subhash is second person after Sudarshan Bhagat to file nomination paper for Lok Sabha election in State. Bhagat on Thursday filed his nomination from Lohardaga seat.
Tejashwi, who is also Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly after nomination process addressed a public meeting in Chatra, once again talking about Mahagathbandhan unity to defeat BJP lead NDA in parliamentary elections, at the same time urging Congress to leave their claim from Chatra.
Tejashwi said, “The upcoming general election is war between right and wrong. The election is to save the constitution and reservation.” Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tejashwi said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has failed to fulfill any of his electoral promises. The PM had talked about creating 10 crore job opportunities, but in last five year less than one crore job opportunities were created.”
Tejashwi also targeted Modi for failing on Rs 15 lakh promise. He said, “While Modi government has failed to deposit Rs 15 lakh into everyone’s bank account which he had promised, while he has given Rs 30,000 crore to an industrialist friend.”
Earlier, Tejashwi reached Chatra in a chopper from Patna. Senior RJD leaders including lawmaker and RJD Lalu Prasad’s close confidante Bhola Yadav, Maner (Bihar) MLA Bhai Virendra, RJD Jehanabad nominee Surendra Yadav, State RJD president Gautam Sagar Rana and others reached Chatra via road. RJD nominee Subhash Yadav comes from Nawada district of Bihar and has the blessing of Lalu Rabri.
Sources said that as Subhash Yadav is close to Lalu Rabri, his influence within the RJD Jharkhand unit has grown up in past few months. Annapurna Devi, the former RJD president who joined BJP last month had indirectly blamed Subhash Yadav—an outsider growing influence in State RJD. Meanwhile, the tussle between two Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) parties—Congress and RJD is to intensify further as Congress had already stated that they will not leave the Chatra seat. However, the party is yet to announce its candidate from Chatra.
The State has 14 Lok Sabha seats and the Congress has given the Palamu seat to the RJD. The RJD has been demanding another constituency, Chatra, which it has won in 1999 and 2004. Chatra is one of the seats in State, which has been represented by different political parties in parliament. The seat has been represented by Congress, BJP, RJD and even independent. However, for most of the time the seat which borders Bihar has been represented by MPs who are outsider. Chatra parliamentary seat comprising five assembly segments four of them are reserved for SC and ST, while one seat Panki is general seat.
In last general election, BJP Sunil Singh defeated Congress nominee Dhiraj Sahu by the margin of 1.70 lakh votes, however, this time the BJP is planning to change its candidate Sunil Singh as his report card is not favorable.
Chatra will go to polls on the Phase-4 (first phase in the state) on April 29 along with Lohardaga and Palamu. The last date of nomination is April 9. Withdrawals are allowed till April 12.