With topsy-turvy tale of last time still fresh in their mind, both the rival camps in the form of BJP-led NDA and Congress headed UPA expressed confidence about crossing the bridge on Friday. Election for two Rajya Sabha seats is slated to take place while three names—Sameer Oraon and Pradeep Sonthalia of the BJP and Dheeraj Sahu of the Congress are into the arena.
The fortification is so that UPA parties have gone on appointing polling agents from other party to write-off atmosphere of disbelief which had surfaced in 2016. Interestingly PCC president Ajoy Kumar has been made agent of JMM along with Congressman Keshav Mahto Kamlesh while JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya is Congress’ agent. Vinod Pandey, Oomang Singhar and JVM’s Bandhu Tirkey are the others.
On the other hand the legislative body comprising all the MlAs in the NDA fold gathered on Thursday evening at the residence of Chief Minister Raghubar Das under close observation of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who has been appointed poll observer. The meeting was attended by Geeta Koda of Jai Bharat Samanta Party and Navjawan Sangharsh Morcha’s Bhanu Pratap Sahi as well.
Though, its floor managers are striving for even greater. “The actual members voting for both the BJP nominees would go beyond the calculations seen at present. We are sure to secure both the Rajya Sabha seats like we did on the last occasion,” said BJP’s Rajmahal MlA and deputy chief whip Anant Ojha.
In the NDA’s meet, besides gathering the flocks together the poll managers mainly Radha Krishna Kishore was given responsibility to educate the members about how to vote tactically at the polling booth. A candidate needs 27 first preference votes to secure the seat considering the all 80 members of the House at present taking part.
“Our members need to mug up how to use their second preference votes which are going to be crucial tomorrow. We have given specific member the name whom they would cast their first and second preference votes. Not a single point of the value of the vote would be wasted,” said a senior BJP leader.
The ruling bloc is largely banking upon jailed members from the UPA fold and some others those are said to be “dissatisfied”. “I overheard a member who was objecting to his party appointing polling agent from any other party. There is disenchantment in the UPA since despite having just seven members the Congress is calling the shots. We are hopeful of getting benefits of that,” said a leader requesting anonymity.
Also, all the jailbirds including Ainos Ekka, Sadhu Charan Mahto and Sanjeev Singh have secured respective courts’ permissions to take part in the election for the Upper House.
The BJP-AJSU combine has 20 surplus votes of its own and if three of Independents are added, a lot would still depend on UPA failing to manage the magic figure 27 for its nominee Dheeraj Sahu.
“Things are different this time. Congress has fielded its own candidate. On the last occasion they (JMM) committed the mistake, we are not going to do that. Our nominee is sure to get over 30 votes,” said Congress member Sukhdeo Bhagat. Congress legislative Party leader Alamgir Alam along with his party’s all seven MlAs attended UPA meeting where JMM members and JVM’s Pradeep Yadav and Prakash Ram with their supremo Babulal Marandi participated.