The high voters’ turnout in the final round of parliamentary polls in Jharkhand on Thursday brought cheers not only to the Election Commission but also kindled more hope for the BJP, at least in Dumka and Godda.
When all eyes are on the most high profile constituency of Jharkhand—Dumka—where two major political party’s honchos are locked in a fierce battle, the saffron party is said to have taken lead in the last moment. Most of the booths in urban and rural areas of Dumka saw long queues which continued even after scheduled close of voting.
Over 100 booths still had long lines of voters even after 4.30pm. The turnout is even better in urban areas of Dumka. This has brought the BJP in close fight with the JMM and seems to have elbowed out the JVM’s Babulal Marandi in the constituency,” said a local journalist after covering extensively the area under poll.Sense, one is getting the JVM fighting hard to eat up the JMM’s Santhal vote bank at the nucleolus of the Santhal Pargana region, has failed to do so.
“It was already difficult to erase bow and arrow (JMM’s poll symbol) from the hearts and minds of the tribals. Our task became even difficult with the use of Government machinery and aggressive campaigning by the Chief Minister. Besides, there is of course some kind of Modi wave in the favour of the BJP,” said a top JVM functionary and in-charge of its poll campaign who virtually admitted that the BJP’s Sunil Soren has come into direct contest with vintage Shibu Soren, pushing the JVM at the receiving end.
Amid high polling, some villagers of Gai Bathan under Jama assembly segment voted for NOTA. The Pioneer had reported about the resentments largely among Ghatwars besides basic facilities at the village, the Scheduled Tribe status since long.The JVM is also in a tight spot at Godda where it is getting tough fight from the Congress and the sitting BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. Reports suggest that the BJP is living dangerously but with an edge. Congress’ Furkan Ansari, also a coalition candidate, would snatch away minority votes from the JVM, a plus for the saffron brigade.
Some JVM workers also clashed with the Congress workers at Chandrapura booth. “At booth number 225 of Godda some of our voters were bitten up. Congress workers inside the polling booth were taking voters slips from the voters and casting vote themselves. We protested but the administration was in connivance with them. It led to scuffle leaving seven injured,” said Santosh Kumar, president of JVM’s youth wing.
Though, at Raj Mahal the BJP is said to be in a tight spot after the Thursday poll trend. New entrant into the BJP, Hemlal Murmu after jettisoning the JMM recently has failed to convince his voters.“He has got some minority votes those were with him. But most of his conventional voters identify him with JMM’s symbol which he has not been able to erase in short time he got,” said a BJP worker.
However, some solace for Hemlal is in the form of relatively weaker candidates fielded by both the Congress and the JVM.Vijay Hansda is already facing ire of the Congressmen at local level for joining the JMM. “The factor seems to have worked today,” said a Congress leader.