After getting snubbed by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jharkhand over demands of recounting of votes polled for Dumka parliamentary seat, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Dumka, Sunil Soren, is likely to exercise the only option left in the aftermath of the bitter experience.
Soren is likely to move High Court to seek recounting of votes on grounds of alleged partiality by Dumka district administration.“Definitely I will move High Court. In next two to three days I will approach the court (to seek recounting of votes),” maintained Soren.Notably, the BJP candidate lost election to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha patriarch Shibu Soren by more than 39,000 votes in a counting that was reportedly interrupted by a snag in Electronic Voting Machine.
“Moving HC is certainly the option however it is for the party to decide whether to approach the court for recounting of votes,” said BJP leader and former Advocate General Anil Sinha The BJP candidate also hit back at the Election Commission with the allegations of orchestrating his defeat in the lok Sabha elections and at the same time expressed displeasure at selective action against top district administration officials that incidentally saw removal of Dumka SP Nirmal Kumar Mishra from the post while the Deputy Commissioner escaped punishment.
“It has happened with their (election commission) support. They took action against the SP but did not remove the Deputy Commissioner,” alleged Soren.
Earlier, CEO of Jharkhand P K Jajoria also rejected demands of CBI inquiry into the incident as demanded by Jharkhand Vikas Morcha and sought to dismiss allegations leveled against Chief Minister Hemant Soren. CM Soren was reportedly present in Dumka on the counting day.“We did not find his (CM Soren) presence affecting the counting process in any manner,” said Jajoria.
Election at Dumka constituency was marred by controversy surrounding deployment of security forces during the day of voting besides keen interest of the CM Soren in the constituency to campaign for the JMM patriarch. On the same day, five security personnel and three poll staff were killed in a landmine blast when the poll party was returning after conducting the elections.