RANCHI: The All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) Party, which has been keeping senior BJP leaders and people guessing about its next move, has stolen the show ahead of Assembly polls in Jharkhand. Political experts believe that the media focus revolving around AJSU for the last fortnight in the peak of election season may prove to be a game-changer in these Assembly polls.
“The way AJSU has taken a stand forcing the media to revolve around it in the last few days; it will have a big impact on BJP and may damage the saffron party on at least 8-10 seats. It is only due to AJSU that people who were talking about 65-plus a few days back, have started saying that BJP will have difficulty even in getting 35-plus seats in Jharkhand,” said senior political analyst Jitendra Kumar. The AJSU, which was almost in a dormant state, has suddenly sprung a strong message among the people by not bowing before the BJP, he added.
BJP functionaries said that they are also worried about the stand taken by AJSU, which may damage their prospects in the Assembly elections. “AJSU is in limelight for the last few days, which ultimately is going to benefit the party in the long run. BJP is not in a position to snap ties as it may seek support from the party in case it is not able to get a majority,” said a senior BJP leader.
Senior functionaries in AJSU, on the other hand, claimed that considering it to be a do or die battle, they have been making calculative moves keeping ‘Jharkhandi Asmita’ (Jharkhand’s identity) on the top of their agenda. “BJP is focusing on national issues, while we are in favour of going among voters with local issues concerning them directly. Moreover, we were also under pressure from our cadres to project ourselves strongly and independently to re-establish the party in the State,” said the AJSU functionary.
JD(U) list of candidates
The Janata Dal (United) on Saturday announced its second list of 12 candidates including the party’s Jharkhand unit president Salkhan Murmu and a son of former Congress leader Bagun Sumbarui.
The names announced
Salkhan Murmu has been fielded from Majhgaon (ST) while Vimal Kumar Sumbarui has been nominated from Chaibasa (ST).Sumbarui is a son of former minister in the united Bihar and Congress leader Bagun Sumbarui, who died last year. The other 10 candidates of the JD(U) are new faces. The party has so far announced 25 candidates of total 81 seats.