In what can be term as big jolt to ruling party ahead of year-end Assembly election, BJP chief whip in Assembly and Chhatrapur MLA Radha Krishan Kishore on Tuesday joined AJSU party in the presence of party chief Sudesh Mahto, Giridh MP Chandra Prakash Choudhary and others.
Kishore joined the AJSU party after being denied ticket by BJP from Chhatarpur. BJP’s first list of candidates for 52 Assembly segments on Saturday has the name of Pushpa Devi for Chhatarpur.
Kishore was considered as trouble shooter for party, who joined the AJSU party with immense experience.
Kishore in his 40 years political career has represented Chhatrapur Assembly segment for five times through from different parties.
As a Congress candidate he had represented Chhatarpur in Palamu known for Left Wing Extremism in 1980, 1985 and 1990.
After the creation of separate State in Jharkhand in 2000, he once again became MLA in 2005 as Janata Dal United candidate. In 2014, he joined BJP and became the MLA once again.
Kishore after joining AJSU Party said, “As a legislator I had served my constituency sincerely. I took a key role in wiping Left Wing Extremism from my area. Also I had carried out several developmental works in my Assembly area.”
“Apart from sincerely working in my area, as Chief Whip of party in House I had always stood in support of government countering the allegations of opposition parties.
I don’t know why BJP denied ticket to me despite my selfless service to party,” he said.
NDA constituent, the AJSU party, on Monday announced the first list of 12 candidates along with from three seats — Chakradharpur, Sindri and Simaria –– where the BJP has also fielded its own candidates.
The AJSU party chief’s residence also had one more important visitor with former Congress State president and ex Ghatsila MLA Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu visiting Mahto’s residence.
Though AJSU party leaders were tight lipped about Balmuchu’s visit, it s expected that the former Congressman will be fielded from Ghatsila if the BJP AJSU party alliance fails to patch up. Sources said that apart Kishore, Balmuchu there are many other leaders including JMM leader Aquil Akhtar, Girinath Singh the former Garhwa MLA who joined BJP ahead of Lok Sabha election are to join BJP.
Meanwhile, AJSU party Chief Sudesh Mahto said, “We have given the list of 17 Assembly seats where our party workers had worked for five years.
For people and workers aspirations party wants to contest from these Assembly seats.”
He also said that alliance with any party works with common minimum programme and representation of alliance partners in the areas where they have their stronghold. In last Assembly election AJSU party had contested on eight seats winning five seats.