Blaring loudspeakers, vehicles playing songs customised for candidates and pompous display of strength through motorcycle rally all came to screeching halt on Tuesday by the Election Commission's deadline of 4 pm. However, candidates used the time left to the full and ventured into unchartered territories to appease voters ahead of the polls scheduled on April 17.
Sitting MP from Ranchi Subodh Kant Sahay was busy in road show throughout the day. Braving the scorching sun, Sahay embarked on the journey on two-wheeler from Ranchi's Birsa Chowk and covered almost half of the city. Sahay dropped in at the houses of voters to make an appeal to save the lok Sabha seat. Interestingly, Sahay's road show ended on a surprise release of manifesto for Ranchi parliamentary constituency. The sitting MP's list of 31 priorities marked the culmination of campaign.
"My model of development will be based on dialogue with tribal community," said Sahay after a grueling road show. The Congress stalwart got the much needed support from minorities group as the a group of Christian community and Muslim Momin leader made an appeal to community members to vote for Sahay. While people belonging to Christian community conducted a foot-march to woo the community members Momin leader Haji Akhter Ansari organised public meetings to ensure that the Muslim vote bank stays with Sahay.
ASJU Party which had become a subject of ridicule for putting candidates in lok Sabha elections seems to have surprised everyone with intense campaigning in every corner of the Ranchi parliamentary constituency. Sudesh Kumar Mahto, AJSU party supremo, conquered the difficult terrain of rural hinterlands of Ranchi district in the last fortnight. Mahto, who surprised people by mobilising masses in his favour, today campaigned in Kapali, Nimdih, Sinni and Patrahatu at Silli.
The young leader who is also an MlA from Silli besides holding the post of Deputy Chief Minister of Jharkhand attacked rivals for banking on brands (read parties). "They all are singing same song to encash their brand. Time has come to reject those leaders who conspire rather than engage in discourse for development," said Mahto during motorcycle rally.
Streets of Ranchi must have witnessed unprecedented rise in the number of motorcycles on the streets as the JVM's (Jharkhand Vikash Morcha) candidate for Ranchi Amitabh Chaudhary also campaigned on two-wheeler. Around 200 to 250 motorcycles formed the motorcade of the IPS turned politician. Chaudhary began campaigning at 10 am and abruptly ended the rally at 4 near Bariatu.
Amid the NaMo wave, BJP's (Bhartiya Janata Party) candidate for Ranchi, Ram Tahal Choudhary also used two-wheelers to campaign in urban areas. Besides spending three to four hours in motorcycle rally, Choudhary visited Kanke block and campaigned in Mesra and Kedal in sub-urban Ranchi.