Erstwhile allies BJP and Ajsu Party both seem to have kept one foot in the door instead of slamming it shut on each others’ faces as a face-saver in case no party gets a clear majority in this Assembly election.
Though the BJP and Ajsu are fighting against each other in several constituencies, they also seem to be on the same page on two crucial seats — Jamshedpur East and Silli.
While chief minister Raghubar Das is the BJP candidate from Jamshedpur (East), Ajsu Party chief Sudesh Mahto is contesting the Silli seat.
In Jamshedpur (East), five-time winner Das has a battle on his hands with BJP veteran-turned-rebel Saryu Roy throwing his hat in the ring.
Unlike the JMM, which appealed to all Opposition parties to support Roy in his fight against Das, Ajsu Party refrained from backing Roy though the party is not contesting the seat. Quizzed about his party’s stand on Roy, Ajsu chief Sudesh Mahto had told the media that he first wanted Roy to speak on his poll issues.
Mahto’s spokesperson Deosharan Bhagat elaborated: “We won’t support Roy only because he is opposed to an individual (read Das). We will be able to take a stand on whether to support Roy or not) only after the BJP rebel reveals his cards on the issues he is fighting this election on, his poll plank.”
Asked if Ajsu’s stand on the Jamshedpur (East) seat could be seen as one that keeps the door ajar for a post-poll alliance, the spokesperson said: “Talking of post-poll alliance is premature at this stage.”
In the BJP camp, an insider said that the party leadership might not pit a candidate against Mahto in Silli — again, as a placatory gesture. “The party has had elaborate deliberations on the Silli seat,” the insider said. “So far, the consensus is that there will be no candidate from our side.”
Even BJP state unit general secretary Deepak Prakash hinted that the saffron party would not be aggressive against the Ajsu during its campaign. “It is true that our alliance is over but we are not foes,” Prakash said.
Others in the BJP hinted a direct fight between the Ajsu and JMM might prove costly for Mahto, who has had a dry run at the hustings since 2014. If he loses this year, he might not have much of a say in post-poll alliance talks anyway.
The JMM’s Amit Kumar had dislodged Mahto from Silli in 2014. When Kumar’s Assembly membership was terminated after his conviction in a criminal case, Mahto lost to Kumar’s wife Sima Devi in the 2018 bypoll.
Marandi seat
JVM chief Babulal Marandi will contest Dhanwar, a seat he lost in 2014. Marandi’s name figured on the fourth list of nine party candidates. Antu Tirkey, who quit the JMM to join JVM, will contest Khijri. Sunil Kumar Gupta will contest Ranchi, Kamlesh Ram Kanke and Umesh Mahto Silli. From Koderma, Barkatha, Hazaribagh and Barkagaon the party will Ramesh Harshdhar, Bateshwar Mehta, Munna Singh and Durgacharan Das respectively.
