Continued efforts of security forces and State Police might have flushed CPI (Maoist) cadres out of the lohardaga constituency but the ghosts of the outlawed Maoist front in form of small criminal groups are still active in perhaps the most neglected and underdeveloped region of South Chhotanagpur division in the State.
The parliamentary constituency, which is devoid of sufficient irrigation facilities in a rugged topography for agriculture and mineral resources for industrial development, is badly looking for a stable leadership and visionary approach for development.
The parliamentary seat, reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates only, comprises five Assembly constituencies – Mandar, Sisai, Gumla, lohardaga and Bishunpur – dominated largely by tribal population. And, adding to the woes of the people there is a swarm of issues that have been largely unattended by its leaders.
According to voters, therefore, the fight in the 2014 polls is on the same issues like employment generation, curbing migration and displacement among others.
“Since the 1980 elections, lohardaga seat is won by either the Congress or BJP candidates, and largely they have failed to address the basic issues of the people here. We need water for daily needs and also for irrigation. We need security and jobs apart from roads and electricity in our villages. Our MPs have not been able to provide these basic amenities to us,” says Chamu Oraon, a 49-year-old frail looking person residing in Bharda village, about 14 kms from Gumla district headquarters.
Another villager Kharia Munda, from Rerwa village of Sisai area comments in Nagpuri language, “Moi apan 67 saal kar jeewan me dheir MP man ke deikh hon lekin keu badhiyan kaam ni kair hain. Abri Narendra Modi kar hawa aahe. Dekhal jaye ei ki kari. Neta to thike laagathe. (I have seen several MPs in my 67 years of lifetime but none of them could actually do much for the area. This time there is Narendra Modi wave (everywhere). lets see what he does. He looks good as leader.)”
Interestingly, all nine candidates, including sitting MP Sudarshan Bhagat, former MP Dr Rameshwar Oraon (Congress) and TMC’s Chamra linda, in the fray from lohardaga are trying to woo the voters on similar issues. Nevertheless, the Narendra Modi wave appears to be moulding voters’ mood in the region.Bhagat, who is fighting the poll on BJP’s ticket for the second time, feels that the tribal voters are informed and they would offer support to Modi.
“Tribals of not only lohardaga but the whole nation are with Narendra Bhai. I am absolutely clear in my mind that they will vote for Modi and make him PM. Anti-people policies of the UPA have annoyed the voters so the Congress will stand nowhere in the contest,” Bhagat said.On competition with TMC candidate Chamra linda, Bhagat said that he did not need to worry because people know who was more loyal to them and who could ditch them.
Notably, the constituency, which is going to polls on April 10 along with three other seats in Jharkhand, has over 11 lakh voters, most of which belong to tribal, business, OBC and minority communities.Congress’ Dr Rameshwar Oraon, who is also a incumbent chairman of ST Commission of India, is being considered the main rival of Bhagat. But, TMC’s Chamra linda, a young tribal leader who came second in 2009 elections after Bhagat, may change the political equations in the constituency, they say