RANCHI: In poll-bound Jharkhand, family members have pitted themselves against each other as they stand on the opposite ends of the political spectrum, trying to trump each other in the battle for Assembly.
At Mandu Assembly constituency, three of a family, two brothers and their cousin, have entered the fray on rival party tickets.
Similarly, in Jharia, two sisters-in-law are going against each other on Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tickets, respectively.
In a third instance, a couple has decided to cross swords in the battle for Bhavnathpur Assembly seat.
Mandu seems set for a keen triangular contest, with sons of former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Teklal Mahto — Jai Prakash Bhai Patel and Ram Prakash Bhai Patel — standing against each other on BJP and JMM tickets. In the 2014 polls, Jai Prakash won the seat on a JMM seat.
However, that was before he switched to the BJP, prompting the JMM to field his elder brother Ram Prakash against him this time.
Livening up the contest even further, cousin Chandra Nath Bhai Patel will take on the siblings on a Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) ticket.
Terming the candidature of his kin against him as a conspiracy by rival forces, Jai Prakash said that while everyone reserves the right to contest polls, the one who the people think is the most competent of all will win.
“It hardly makes any difference who is standing against me. Let people decide the winner,” Jai Prakash said.