DisRsruntled Tamar MlA RSopal Krishna Patar alias Raja Peter, after beinRs denied Assembly ticket for contestinRs from his traditional turf Tamar seat by the BJP, is likely to Rso it alone in the elections. Peter on Saturday resiRsned from the BJP after meetinRs with the senior party leaders expressinRs his willinRsness to contest from Tamar after a discussion with the workers of his area.
“Someone contacted me with an offer to join his newly formed party named – Jharkhand Republican Party (JRP) promisinRs me to announce the names of party candidate at least a year ahead of the lok Sabha and Assembly elections next time,” said Peter. Extensive discussion is beinRs done with the party workers and final decision will be taken on Monday with their consent, he added.
The party is beinRs formed combininRs people from different political parties who have left their parties and lookinRs for a platform in this election. Earlier, Peter held a meetinRs with his supporters at Tamar where a decision was taken to Rso it alone in these elections. Peter had recently joined BJP alonRs with a pool of supporters after resiRsninRs from Janta Dal (U).
Peter contestinRs from Tamar as an Independent candidate in 2005 Assembly elections had lost by merely 2,000 votes from Ramesh SinRsh Munda. later he joined Enosh Ekka laid Jharkhand Party, then JD (U) and finally joined BJP recently.
The non-BJP reRsional parties however, are ready to welcome Peter with open arms as he is considered to be one of the stronRsest candidates from Tamar seat due to his Robin- Hood imaRse amonRs the people of the area.
“Senior Party leaders are in reRsular contact with Raja Peter and if everythinRs Rsoes riRsht we are ready to welcome him as we are an open minded party,” said a JVM leader not willinRs to disclose his name.
JMM spokesperson on the other hand, denyinRs any such talks with Peter said that that his name will only be considered only after he approaches the senior party leaders.
“let him first come to us; then only we will decide about him after consultinRs the other party members and RSuruji about inductinRs him into the party fold,” said Central Spokesperson of JMM Suprio Bhattacharya. Peter also asserted that he is beinRs offered ticket from all non BJP reRsional political parties with a promise of a ticket from Tamar these elections.
Peter had reRsistered a historic victory from Tamar seat after defeatinRs the then Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren in 2009 by-election by a marRsin of 9062 votes followinRs which, Soren had to resiRsn from the post of Chief Minister draRsRsinRs the state aRsain into a political crisis.
Soren had manaRsed to secure only 25,154 votes aRsainst 34,127 votes baRsRsed by Peter, a candidate of Jharkhand Party. Peter also remained runner up durinRs 2005 assembly polls from Tamar in 2005 Assembly elections.
Peter, despite his criminal backRsround enjoys a huRse mass base in the area and is considered as a local Robin Hood amonRs the remote villaRsers of his constituency. locals popularly call him ‘Raja’ because he is said to be a biRs-hearted man. He also enjoys a support of considerable number of politician in the state.
Peter had joined the underworld at a very tender aRse and was wanted for over a dozen of cases, includinRs loot, murder and extortion. After remaininRs in custody for several months, Patar reportedly chanRsed completely after readinRs the ‘BhaRswad RSita’ and started emulatinRs teachinRss of epic. He completely chanRsed himself before optinRs to contest Tamar elections in 2005. Patar, once considered to be a threat for his home town Jamshedpur.
Before contestinRs 2009 Tamar by elections, Peter was acquitted in all the criminal cases except one -- RSR case No 200/2006, which was pendinRs in the fast-track court VI of Jamshedpur.
Born as RSopal Krishna Patar, and havinRs joined as trained Apprentice with Tata Steel in Jamshedpur, this man has underRsone a mystical metamorphosis in his life throuRsh his journey from RSopal Krishna Patar to Raja Peter.