Amit Kumar Mahto, the turncoat who had given a close fight to AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto during 2009 Assembly elections in Silli, is seeking votes for the people themselves for their own betterment. According to Kumar, remaining with the people for his constituency round the year will be the cutting edge over his archrival Sudesh Mahto.
“I never ask my people to vote for me, rather I request them to vote for themselves and for their own improvement in the future,” said Mahto. Being with the people at the hour of need is more important than expressing solidarity during elections with the motive of seeking votes, added the JMM candidate.
“I do not consider myself as a candidate rather, I consider myself as one among them which is also one of the reasons behind my popularity in the constituency,” added Mahto.
The JMM nominnee, contesting on JVM seat during 2009 Assembly Elections was the runner up lagging behind Mahto from merely 7707 votes. After denied ticket from the BJP from Silli, he has joined JMM only to add more problems for the AJSU Chief.
When asked about countering his main rival who is one of the political heavyweights in the state Sudesh Mahto, Kumar said that he was not afraid of him as he considers Mahto also as one of the other candidates of his constituency.
“No one is special or superior in this festival of democracy. Everyone has to go to the people for seeking votes, whoever gets more votes is considered winner,” reacted Mahto. It will be premature to make speculations; superiority of a candidate is determined by the people of constituency through votes and majority of them are with me, he added.
Reacting on the BJP’s denial to field him from Silli, he said that he nurtured no grudge about any of the party as giving ticket is a party’s prerogative guided by its strategy. “I was not the party of the strategy of BJP hence they denied ticket to me but I have my own mass base in the constituency who are still with me,” Mahto said. I am sure that they will not let me down this time, he added. Mahto had contested from Silli in 2005 on JMM ticket and secured 19000 votes against 38000 secured by Sudesh Mahto while in 2009, contesting on JVM vote had secured 38000 votes as against 45000 of AJSU Chief.
“Hence my mass base is increasing gradually in the area and I am sure that this time I will cross the threshold and emerge as a winning candidate,” he said. Mahto added that he will be taking up the core issues like poverty and unemployment during these elections.