State BJP election committee held its first meeting on Saturday where discussions on Kolebira bypolls were held in the presence of State president Laxman Gilua, Chief Minister Raghubar Das, party general secretary Dharmpal Singh, Hazaribagh MP Jayant Sinha and other members.
The election committee decided that the BJP will field its candidate in the Kolebira bypoll. Discussions were held on the names of 11 prospective candidates in the meeting that lasted for about half an hour.
Election panel member and State general secretary Deepak Prakash said that 11 names were discussed in the meeting that the committee has authorised State president Laxman Gilua, CM Raghubar Das and organisational secretary Dhrampal Singh to take a final decision. He said that the names will be forwarded to the Central election committee for the final decision.
Prakash flocked by State BJP Spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo and Media incharge Shivpujan Pathak said in a press conference that the JMM doesn’t have faith on its workers and that is why it is supporting an outside candidate. Talking about Congress he said that the party was bargaining with other opposition parties to stay in the UPA. He claimed that BJP will make a new history in the bypolls.
Meanwhile, JVM Chief Babulal Marandi met Opposition Leader and JMM Executive president Hemant Soren and discussed possibilities to field a candidate, who has support of all Opposition parties. Although, JMM chief Shibu Soren has already given his blessings to Jharkhand Party candidate and former MLA Anosh Ekka’s wife Menon Ekka, largest Opposition party in State may wait for Congress’ stance on the issue.
The Congress party, on the other hand has announced that it would field its candidate in the bypoll but the final name is yet to be decided. State incharge of the Congress RPN Sing is scheduled to visit Ranchi on Sunday to take a decisive call on the issue, said party insiders.
Notably, the Kolebira Assembly seat has fallen vacant after disqualification of three time MLA Anosh Ekka after his conviction and sentencing in a murder case. Anosh’s wife Menon Ekka is contesting the poll under the banner of Jharkhand Party and she has the support of the JMM. Polling for the Kolebira bypoll will take place of December 20 and the counting of votes will be done on December 23.