RANCHI: Political parties in Jharkhand prefer sitting MLAs as their candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. Be it the NDA or INDI-Alliance, they have been showing their confidence in the sitting MLAs on most of the Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Interestingly, BJP has fielded the sitting Baghmara MLA Dhulu Mahto from Dhanbad Lok Sabha seat and is drawing flack from the business community for giving ticket to a person having 49 criminal cases against him. Not only that, Mahot is also notorious for coal smuggling, extortion and other cases in the Dhanbad region and is also convicted in four cases.
Dhulu Mahto has replaced veteran BJP leader and sitting MP from Dhanbad, PN Singh. Despite several big shots in the race, Dhulu Mahto has been given ticket from the seat.
BJP has also fielded Sita Soren, the elder daughter in law of JMM patriarch Shibu Soren and three times MLA from Jama Assembly seat, from Dumka Lok Sabha seat. Sita Soren recently joined BJP after quitting the JMM and secured a ticket for her from Dumka Lok Sabha seat. Sita Soren has been fielded from Dumka replacing the sitting BJP MP Sunil Soren.
Similarly, Hazaribagh (Sadar) MLA Manish Jaiswal has been made BJP candidate from Hazaribagh Lok Sabha Seat. He has replaced the sitting Hazaribagh MP and former Union Minister Jayant Sinha. Sinha will take on Congress’ Jai Prakash Bhai Patel, also a sitting MLA from Mandu in Hazaribagh.
Even JMM does not lag behind and has fielded Shikaripada legislator Nalin Soren against BJP’s Sita Soren at Dumka Lok Sabha seat. Earlier, it was being said that former Chief Minister Hemant Soren will be contesting from the Dumka, considered to be a traditional seat of JMM patriarch Shibu Soren.
From Giridih Lok Sabha seat also, sitting Tundi MLA Mathura Prasad Mahto has been fielded by JMM who will take on AJSU’s lone candidate in Jharkhand and sitting MP Chadra Prakash Chaudhary.
Another sitting MLA, who has been fielded by JMM includes, ex-minister Joba Manjhi from Singhbhum Lok Sabha seat. Joba Manjhi will take on Geeta Koda who switched to the BJP recently. Geta Koda is the wife of former Chief Minister Madhu Koda.
BJP conducted internal surveys
BJP and JMM functionaries said that the tickets were given only on the basis of the win-ability factor of the candidates. “An internal survey was conducted by the party to assess that win-ability of the candidates and public outreach of the candidates who were in the race of Lok Sabha seats. Opinion of the workers of respective seats were taken before giving tickets,” said state BJP spokesperson Pradeep Sinha.