Close relatives, pitted against each other in a political battle, are set to make contests interesting in many constituencies during the ongoing Assembly elections in Jharkhand. Siblings, spouses and even sisters-in-law have confirmed their candidature against each other in at least three crucial Assembly segments here. Some of these candidates have turned age-old family feud into a political rivalry, while some continue to maintain a healthy relationship with their relatives despite contrary political beliefs.
Jharia is likely to witness the most interesting, and by far the most dramatic contest between relatives this year. Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidate Ragini Singh, wife of ex-MLA Sanjeev Singh, is set to take on Congress candidate Purnima Niraj Singh, widow of Sanjeev’s cousin and former Dhanbad Mayor Niraj Singh here. The story behind this political battle can give a run for their money to some of the best Bollywood script writers. Sanjeev is in judicial custody on charges of murdering his cousin Niraj. The latter’s body was riddled with bullets in an infamous incident that drew an uncanny resemblance with scenes from popular Bollywood flick ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ — based on real life events in parts of Dhanbad and Jharia.
While the BJP fielded Ragini as Sanjeev Singh is under trial for his cousin’s murder, the Congress party was quick to field Niraj’s widow Purnima Niraj Singh to cash in on sympathy votes here, say political experts. Locals say that the family feud between the Singh brothers has transformed into a political rivalry, with one half of the family supporting the Congress party and the other half sticking to the BJP. With Niraj Singh’s murder, the bad-blood has further increased and so has the intensity of campaigning for the elections.
Age-old family feuds have led to political contests in many parts of the country in the past. However, husband and wife turning political rivals is still not a common scene in the country. In Jharkhand’s Bhawanthpur, a married couple has decided to contest elections against each other. Manish Kumar and Priyanka Devi, legally wedded to each other, are set to contest from the Bhawanathpur constituency as independent candidates.
It is brother versus brother in Mandu, where the BJP has fielded Jai Prakash Bhai Patel and its arch rival Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has given a ticket to Ram Prakash Bhai Patel. Jai Prakash and Ram Prakash are siblings. They live in the same house, but campaign for different parties. Earlier, both the Patel brothers were active members of the JMM and Jai Prakash Patel was the sitting JMM legislator in Mandu. However, JMM suspended him for six years on charges of supporting the BJP and gave his younger sibling Ram Prakash Patel a ticket from Mandu.