SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Nov 11: Senior Congress leader of Bengal Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury finally roped in two warring senior leaders of Dhanbad, district president Santosh Singh and Jharkhand state party secretary Vaibhav Sinha to settle disputes and work together in elections.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is the party election observer of Dhanbad and Bokaro districts, on Sunday evening, called the meeting at the residence of Brajendra Prasad Singh (chairman of the state party disciplinary committee) and asked both the leaders to settle the dispute in the interest of the party.
Santosh Singh regrets the incident
Sources said at the meeting Santosh Singh regretted the incident. Thereafter, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury along with both the leaders went to Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH) to see injured Vaibhav Sinha supporters.
The supporters of Santosh Singh and Vaibhav Sinha had clashed on Friday evening over polls related assignment at the City Centre in which eight party workers were injured and admitted at Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital.
FIR against Santosh Singh
One of the injured party workers (allegedly a supporter of Sinha) lodged an FIR against district president Santosh Singh and others in Dhanbad Sadar police station on Saturday.
Sources said Santosh Singh and Vaibhav Sinha engaged in a verbal duel over the arrangement of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s security staff in the hostel which triggered a clash among their supporters.
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Since the war between Santosh Singh and Vaibhav Sinha had allegedly divided the party leaders on the Rajput and Bhumihar caste line, Adir Ranjan Chowdhury was compelled to intervene and settle the dispute.
Bramarshi society members
The Congress is contesting on Dhanbad Sadar seat. It is said resentment of Bramarshi society members, who are the dominant force, can make the situation difficult for candidate Ajay Dubey. A party leader said Brajendra Prasad Singh remained district president for 10 years but never such an unsavoury incident took place.
State disciplinary committee chairman Brajendra Prasad Singh, when contacted on Monday morning, admitted that the former leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Choudhary had come to his house on Sunday evening but refused to say about the dispute.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has been camping in Dhanbad since October 28. He was present during the nomination of Ajay Dubey in October and is monitoring the preparation on all seats of Dhanbad – Bokaro where Cong is contesting.
Rahul Gandhi, who addressed a poll rally in Matigarha of Baghmara constituency of Dhanbad on November 9, got Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to sit in his left side of the chair while Jharkhand in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir and state President Keshav Mahto Kamlesh after him (Choudhary).
