The ruling alliance candidate and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Bebi Devi and Opposition AJSU Party’s Yashoda Devi were among the top leaders to file their nominations on Thursday as the Dumri assembly constituency gears up for the by-poll scheduled in September.
While eight candidates have submitted nominations for the seat, the primary competition will unfold between Jharkhand minister Bebi Devi, a joint candidate of the INDIA front, and Yashoda Devi of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Bebi Devi is the spouse of former minister and four-term JMM legislator Jagarnath Mahto, whose death in April this year necessitated the by-polls.
Yashoda Devi secured the second position in the 2019 assembly elections, during which the NDA constituents BJP and AJSU had contested separately.
According to people close to the developments, the upcoming assembly by-elections are being viewed as a battle preceding the Lok Sabha and assembly elections scheduled for the next year.
On Thursday, the INDIA and NDA fronts pulled all stops, using the nomination process to exhibit their strengths.
Following Bebi Devi’s nomination, Chief Minister Hemant Soren, ministers, and legislators participated in a rally.
On the other hand, NDA leaders, led by AJSU Party president Sudesh Mahto, stood with Yashoda Devi at the nomination centre, along with senior leaders from their ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Addressing the rally in support of Bebi, Chief Minister Hemant Soren took a swipe at the BJP-AJSU coalition, asserting that these two parties have governed the state for the longest period since its inception. He urged the people to ensure his party’s victory as a tribute to Jagarnath Mahto. Soren also issued a challenge to the BJP, stating that “no Jharkhandi was afraid of facing imprisonment”.
“For two decades, the BJP and AJSU exploited the state like termites. When I demanded the outstanding 1.36 lakh crore rupees from them (the central government) to distribute among the people, they initially denied it. However, when I presented evidence and persisted with our demand, they unleashed the CBI and ED against me, attempting to send me to jail. No Jharkhandi has ever been intimidated by the prospect of imprisonment,” the chief minister said.
Earlier this week, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) had issued a summons to Soren for questioning as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation related to a land scam.
Soren declined to appear for questioning on August 14 and has demanded the withdrawal of the summons or threatened to explore legal avenues.
Meanwhile, AJSU Party chief Mahto characterised the upcoming by-poll as a rehearsal for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
“Consider this as an opportunity to prepare for the 2024 elections. We have to repeat what the AJSU-BJP family started in Ramgarh. The JMM has been winning this seat on strength of fear, confusion and corruption. We have to free the people of Dumri from these three things,” said Mahto.
