The JMM on Friday named former Odisha DGP Sanjeev Marik for Godda and Kushwaha Shashi Bhushan Mehta for Panki as its candidates for the Assembly bypoll scheduled for May 16. With this, all doors on the possibility for united Opposition have been shut.
Announcing about the decision taken after a high-level meeting of the party cadres, Hemant Soren said that the JMM would ensure victory of its candidates. “There are lots of issues which would go in our favour at both the places. We would highlight the anti-Government sentiments of the voters. Both the candidates are capable of winning the election,” said Soren.
When asked about cases pending against Mehta, who had lost to Bidesh Singh of the Congress by a thin margin last time, Soren said that there is no bar from the Election Commission against contesting elections.
On the other hand, the Coordination Committee comprising PCC chief Sukhdeo Bhagat, Subodh Kant Sahay, Rajendra Singh and others approved the decision to field its own candidates in Panki while Godda seat may go to the alliance kitty.
“The Committee which is the highest decision making body of the State Congress has decided to go for our sitting seat at Panki. We will try to forge an alliance for Godda,” said Bhagat after the meeting. list of candidates for Panki in which Devender Singh, son of late Bidesh Singh, is among the front runners and opinion of the Committee about Godda would be conveyed to AICC president Sonia Gandhi for taking a final call, he said. Bhagat is leaving for Delhi on April 24 for consultation.
The State Congress president rapped the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha for going it alone in the bypolls. “JMM is hand in glove with the BJP and the decision of not to support a single candidate against the BJP shows that. In a way they are supporting the domicile policy declared by the State Government,” Bhagat said.
The RJD, on the other hand, finalised Sanjay Kumar Singh Yadav for Godda seat. Addressing a press conference on Friday, RJD State president Gautam Sagar Rana said that the party expected support from all non-BJP quarters. “We expect likeminded parties to come along to defeat the BJP in both the constituencies. As far as Godda is concerned, it has been our sitting seat. Our party leader and former MlA Sanjay Yadav would be the RJD nominee,” said Rana. He dropped sufficient hints that the party would back Congress’ candidate at Panki.