Chatra Assembly constituency, presently in RJD’s fold is set to see an intense battle among the BJP, JVM and RJD candidates. The constituency lies in one of the most backward and naxal affected districts of Jharkhand, Chatra.
In 2009 Janardan Paswan of RJD had won the Chatra seat by a margin of more than 30,000 votes. His nearest rival was BJP candidate Subedar Paswan. This time BJP has changed its candidate and the sitting MlA of Simariya Jaiprakash Bhokta is fighting the polls here on BJP ticket this time.
Bhokta was in JVM till last month and was not active in Chatra constituency. But the good works of his father late Mahendra Bhokta, former BJP MlA from Chatra in 1985 and 1990, has helped him in making his position strong.
PM Narendra Modi’s programme in Chandwa, 50 km away from Chatra may also prove a boost for Bhokta as a number of local residents attended the programme and and now it is on them that how much they can give strength to the Modi wave which is still on in the rural areas of Chatra since last April.
JVM has given their symbol to rebel BJP leader Satyanand Bhokta who had represented this constituency twice in 2000 and 2005. Though the Ex-Minister is facing the charges of corruption but in Chatra he enjoys a good following. Bhokta is also said to have support of JPC an extremist outfit active in the area. He is also enjoying the support of those voters who are annoyed with sitting MlA Janardan Paswan.
In 2009 Assembly election the minority and OBC voters strongly supported Paswan but this time the OBCs are divided and the minority voters have started looking towards JVM as the strongest opponent of BJP. Janardan Paswan is an old player of politics of Chatra, he had won Chatra seat in 1995 and after that always got good votes so it will be early to say that he is out of fight because three days are still left for voting.