Simdega district administration has refuted the charges made by the Congress party about threats being given to its candidate and workers at Kolebira Assembly constituency. The segment is to go for bypoll on December 20.
“We have not received any information supporting the allegations. No FIR from any one has been lodged in any of the local police stations complaining about threats being given by any leader,” said Simdega DC Jata Shankar Choudhary on Thursday hinting to it being a political gimmick.
Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajoy Kumar himself had on last Sunday alleged that former MLA of the constituency who has been ousted from the House after found culprit of a murder case was actually sending out threats to his party workers and candidate Naman Bixal Kongari and was influencing the voters of the area while sitting in jail. A party’s delegation next day visited the Election Commission to lodge formal complaint about this.
The DC at the same time mentioned that all necessary arrangements have been put in place for the next week poll. “Total 270 booths have been made for the bypoll and all would be manned by security forces comprising para military, JAP and others. Every booth is going to have five security personnel and 10 per cent of the total number would be kept in reserve for any exigency. There are some booths which are remotely located and we are focusing on those,” said he.
All the poll personnel have been given two-level training to manage the poll and would be deployed a day ahead of the voting. “Today itself we reviewed transportation arrangements for the poll personnel and security forces which have almost been lined up. 31 sector magistrates have been appointed for supervising the polling on December 20,” said the DC.
As many as five candidates are into fray for the bypoll which have badly shaken political arrangements in the State. Bixal Kongari despite being Congress candidate could not garner support of ‘coalition partner’ JMM who chose to back Jharkhand Party’s candidate and wife of Enosh Ekka, Menon Ekka. Later another partner RJD also toed the JMM’s line.
Similar situation also arose in the ruling coalition. Partnering the Government along with the BJP, AJSU’s local unit went for Independent candidate into the fray Basant Dungdung by ignoring official nominee Basant Soreng on its own.