Finally, after consultation with party national vice-president Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders in Delhi, the Congress officially named Devender Singh alias Bittu Singh as its nominee for Panki Assembly constituency. He is expected to file his papers on Thursday.
On his return from Delhi on Wednesday, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sukhdeo Bhagat announced his candidature and claimed support of all secular forces. “Devender Singh would be our candidate from Panki and the decision has been taken after due consideration. We have our support base in area and Devender Singh also has considerable support base over there,” said Bhagat. Devender is son of Bidesh Singh on whose death the seat has fallen vacant midway.
On the other, the JMM’s candidate Shashi Bhushan Mehta who had given tough fight to Bidesh Singh at Panki in the last Assembly elections and lost to him by just over 2000 votes filed his papers today. Flanked by handful of his supporters, Mehta sported bow and arrow, party’s election symbol, to kick start his campaign.
When asked about ruptured Opposition unity, Bhagat still looked hopeful about the JMM to fall in line. “We believe that better sense would prevail and the JMM for making sure the defeat of the BJP would back our candidate,” he said. At the same time, he also clarified that the party would lend its support to RJD’s Sanjay Prasad Yadav at Godda in order to keep the UPA intact.
On the other hand, the State BJP also declared its candidates for the bypoll. late on Tuesday evening party leader JP Nadda named Amit Mandal, son of Raghunandan Mandal for Godda while new entrant into the party and son of former Panki MlA Madhu Singh, lal Suraj has been made candidate from Panki.
lal Suraj had contested the last elections on JMM’s ticket and polled over 21,000 votes but faired only fourth after Bidesh Singh, Shashi Bhushan Mehta and then BJP nominee Amit Kumar Tiwari.
Party sources confided that lal Suraj was no where on radar of the party but with the JMM pouncing upon a ‘strong candidate’ in the form of Mehta, the BJP was forced to look outside the party and discovered it in him. “He has considerable supporters since the time of his father who himself was a mass leader. Couple of names was doing rounds from the BJP but none looked convincing. Thus the party bet for lal Suraj, a tested candidate,” said a top leader.
The saffron party is of the view that even if lal Suraj repeats his past performance of over 20,000 votes he can win the seat taking into consideration the BJP cadre vote existing at Panki.
On the other, the party is confident about Godda where lone name of Amit Mandal has been recommended. Amit besides being highly qualified is expected to sail through with sympathy factor to get better of RJD’ Sanjay Yadav and JMM’s Sanjeev Marik.