AJSU supremo Sudesh Mahto's search for a better and safe seat for himself finally ended in Mandu. Dominated by Kurmi community from which Mahto belonged, he is now leaving no stone unturned to woo voters here. On Gandhi Jayanti, Mahto started his Swaraj Swabihman Yatra from a village of Mandu, his party insiders confirmed the plan of their supremo to fight the next assembly election from here.
Sources said Mahto who represented Silli in the State assembly lost in2014 from JMM's Amit Kumar Mahto. Again in recent bypoll, he tasted defeat
from Kumar's wife Seema. Those close to Mahto said Mahto is now reluctant to return to his home turf Silli. After getting "feedback" from his party workers and leaders, he finally found Mandu as the best seat for himself. They said as kurmi community has the final say on this seat, Mahto find it as the safest seat.
But the bitter fact for AJSU party supremo is that from last many elections, Mandu is represented by one family and that of Teklal Mahto, veteran JMM leader and several terms MLA from here. After his death, his son Jai Prakash Bhai Patel won from here twice and he also was a minister in Hemant Soren government. Patel's confident said their leader wanted to make his wife a candidate from this seat this time and himself wants to contest from Giridih parliamentary seat from where his father Teklal Mahto was also an MP.
Not worried over the report coming about Sudesh Mahto's plan, Patel said he will again lose the election and from a woman (read Patel's wife). He said Mandu people always supported his family.
He said he always worked for people of Mandu and remain available for them round the clock. I don't care for others but do my work, he said. A senior AJSU leader, who didn't want to be named, said they had started their preparation at Mandu.