This Assembly election in Palamu seems to have become issueless, where faces of the candidates matter most as issues have taken a backseat or have gone underground. One recurring issue of Palamu is its proneness to drought but no political party or candidate has ever spoken a word about its drought proofing.
The issue of drought is as out from the rhetoric of the candidates as now onion prices have become a new issue. Instead of drought proofing, candidates promise moon to their voters.
The another issue is of displacement if and when Mandal dam gets operational like installation of its four gates there which will submerge six villages in all but no candidate ever speaks of this issue.
Although Mandal dam is located in Manika constituency of Latehar district but the six villages that it is to submerge are part of the Daltonganj Assembly constituency, but no leader be it the BJP, the Congress, the JVM, etc have spoken on this.
Sources said mining be it of sand or stone is a popular mode of earning fast money and here corruption is too high but no candidate has ever said a word about sand mining which affects the rich and the poor alike since sand is the prime requisite of any concrete construction.
Sand is dug up from the river bed in the dead of night and tractor trolley carries it so surreptitiously that one can’t imagine. No political party has ever said anything to ease this man made crisis of sand.
Sources said when new traffic rules like wearing of helmet etc were launched across the country which saw bumper imposition of fine and Jharkhand Government’s three months’ reprieve is just to end by the time poll results will be out no concern or anxiety has been expressed by any candidate towards this.
Sources said this election is Raghubar das & Co. vs the others with Opposition not in any position to tell people as to what measures it has to ameliorate their hardships. There is only a tussle to unseat the seated one and to wrench it for next sitting.
Mukul Prasad, a resident of Daltonganj, said, “The candidates are fighting for their own privileges but none for the cause of the poor.” He added, “Have you journalist seen any voter perusing manifesto?”