Another leader of the Congress became turncoat and he was no other than the party’s sitting MlA and official nominee for the constituency for Assembly polls!
Bhawnathpur legislator Anant Pratap Deo on Sunday joined the BJP moments after receiving Pradesh Congress Committee president Sukhdeo Bhagat at Ranchi airport and a day after being given party ticket from the constituency.In a dramatic turnaround, Deo, who had legacy of his royal family behind him to serve the Congress, was formally inducted into the BJP at the party State office in the presence of office bearers Gama Singh and Prem Mittal.
The ‘change-of-heart’ took place soon after Sukhdeo Bhagat returned from Delhi and met him at the airport. The Congress had even organised a ceremony to allot symbols to the selected candidates later in the evening.“loyalty of my workers was shifting towards the BJP which cannot be ignored. Whatever I am is because of my workers and associates. I heard my inner voice which says that if at all the development is possible it would be in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modiand by the BJP,” said Deo, defending hard his last minute call to disown the ticket given by his parent party Congress on Saturday along with 13 others.
He would file his nominations on Monday as the constituency is to undergo polls on the first phase itself, i.e. November 25. When contacted, the PCC president feigned ignorance about what can be perceived as an embarrassing situation for the party. “I have no knowledge about this. He had come to receive me at the airport. I will consult him. If it has happened then it is certainly a serious matter for the party as he has left the Congress at the last moment and that also after being finalised as candidate,” said Sukhdeo Bhagat.
Deo has been considered as a winning candidate from Bhawnathpur and sources privy to the development told The Pioneer that he switched over to the BJP after his candidature was finalised in a high level meeting which took place ahead of the party’s parliamentary board meeting in the evening. “Most of the names were finalised on Saturday evening itself which also included his. He was in touch of the BJP for long,” said a BJP leader. In the meanwhile, desperate to enter into a coalition with virtually anyone, the Babulal Marandi-led JVM found some solace with the Trinamool Congress. Both the parties are at the advanced stage of talks.
“The TMC has demanded seven odd seats and it is likely that 5-6 seats would be offered to them. Our understanding is almost at final stage,” said JVM general secretary Praveen Singh. TMC that lost one of its two sitting MlAs Chamra linda to the Shibu Soren-headed JMM on Sunday, also confirmed about the knot.
However, no progress between the alliance partners of the Congress—RJD, JD-U, on seat sharing issue could be made on Sunday as the parties are focusing more on the constituencies falling for the first phase of election.