Quite opposite to the buzz of parliamentary elections miles away in four constituencies — Chatra, Palamu, lohardaga and Koderma — in Jharkhand unusual calmness prevailed throughout the day at party offices of all political parties in Ranchi.
Even as Bhartiya Janata Party state president Ravindra Kumar Rai was sweating it out in his constituency Koderma, office bearers of the party were tracking developments at party headquarters with crossed fingers. Characteristically, every party looked happy about the elections and claimed to gain more seats compared to last elections.However, the exercise was interrupted briefly with blackout in transmission that sent the party officials on its toes.
The connection was restored soon but the enthusiasm had waned by the time. Office bearers went back to their chambers to turn pages of newspapers with gleaming eyes anticipating Modi wave to wrest the sway in favour of rival parties, if any, and a better performance compared to the General Elections of 2009. The party workers were equally enthusiastic about their PM candidate Narendra Modi’s rally at Jamshedpur as few party workers skipped routine visit to the party office to watch their leader tearing the Congress apart.
“I am at home right now and will come in the evening by 4.30. There is nothing specific to do right now so I am listening Modiji’s address to the people of Jamshedpur,” said Tarique Imran of BJP’s minority cell.
Interestingly, serenity at JVM’s (Jharkhand Vikas Morcha) office was bewildering for a party whose four candidates are battling against the odds at all the four constituencies that went to polls in third phase of General Elections.
The tranquility at the office could be explained by the absence JVM supremo Babulal Marandi and other senior leaders besides the few party workers joining Amitabh Chaudhary in poll campaign.“(Bahut kam log hain yehan pe. Sab ghar pe dekhiye leta hai) Very few people are here. They watch it from home,” said the guard at the entrance of JVM’s office at Dibdih.Rarely does the BJP and Congress’ office look similar in terms of activity and people’s presence at the office. Except a handful lot of party workers who were watching election coverage at television the office wore a deserted look.
If the situation was similar so was the reason for the dull atmosphere.While the candidates were busy in their respective constituencies, senior leaders were campaigning for candidates in remaining constituencies.“Senior leaders are busy in campaigning in other constituencies. The spotlight now is on the constituencies as we need to win. Activity at party office is unlikely to pick up until the elections get over,” said Rajan Gupta, a former ward councilor and a Congress worker.