The high-pitched election campaigns at Madhupur Assembly constituency for the April 17 bypoll ended on Thursday evening with both JMM and BJP remaining optimistic about their victory. As many as 3.22 lakh voters will exercise their franchise across 487 polling centres across the constituency on Saturday. Though there are six candidates in fray, the main contest is between JMM candidate and minority affairs minister Hafizul Hassan and BJP’s Ganga Narayan.
Meanwhile, the Deoghar district administration has made all elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of poll. Deoghar Deputy Commissioner, Manjunath Bhajantri said, “The Deoghar district administration has made all arrangements for smooth conduct of election. On Friday various polling parties were sent to their polling stations.”
Bhajantri also said, “As the election is held during corona protocol extra precautions have been made. The polling teams sent for conducting elections have been asked to maintain all corona protocols such as wearing masks, use of sanitizers, social distancing and other measures have been asked by the polling team to maintain.”
Also, Deoghar Superintendent of Police (SP) Ashwini Kumar Sinha said, “The Deoghar district administration has made full proof arrangements for conducting elections. Apart from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), district police, home guard jawans and SAF will be deployed at all police stations.” Sinha said that the security forces have been directed to ensure peaceful election.
The Madhupur bypoll has become a prestige issue for both JMM/Congress alliance government and opposition (BJP). Chief Minister Hemant Soren who left for Ranchi on Thursday had camped in Madhupur for six days and had addressed five public meetings at different parts of constituency.
Apart from Soren, the JMM/Congress/RJD formed a committee comprising senior leaders from all three parties in the committee. State finance minister Rameshwar Oraon also camped in Madhpur along with his team.
Meanwhile, BJP’s top guns, including its state president Deepak Prakash, BJP legislative party leader Babulal Marandi, former chief minister Raghubar Das and others took the campaign of BJP candidate Ganga Narayan Singh.
The BJP leaders during the campaign criticized the state government failure in meeting poll promises. The BJP has also taken Chief Minister Soren giving extra time to Madhupur during the corona pandemic due to JMM/Congress government nervousness and fear of defeat in bypoll.
The Madhupur seat in Deoghar district of Santhal Pargana having sizeable Muslim population has been represented by both BJP and JMM on earlier occasions. In 2005, the seat was represented by Paliwar of BJP. However, in 2009 the seat went to JMM with Haji Hussain Ansari winning the seat. However, in 2014, the BJP once again won the seat, while in 2019 the seat was wrested by JMM Ansari.