SWAMI DIVYAGYAN
Ranchi, Nov.16: In a significant political development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has successfully roped in a high-profile independent candidate from the Rajdhanwar Assembly constituency, providing a major boost to the party’s prospects in this triangular electoral battle.
Niranjan Rai joined the BJP in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister Annapurna Devi and Godda MP Nishikant Dubey. Niranjan, a cash-rich candidate, was giving sleepless nights to the BJP leaders.
The move is credited to the strategic efforts of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, whose intervention has tilted the scales in favour of BJP leader Babulal Marandi.
Triangular contest in Rajdhanwar
The Rajdhanwar constituency is witnessing a fierce contest among three key candidates: BJP’s Babulal Marandi, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) nominee Nizamuddin Ansari, and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) [CPI(ML)] candidate Rajkumar Yadav. The demographic composition of the constituency is playing a pivotal role in shaping the political dynamics.
Minority voters, who hold substantial sway in Rajdhanwar, have traditionally leaned towards secular and regional parties. This has strengthened Nizamuddin Ansari’s campaign as the JMM candidate.
Meanwhile, the Yadav community, which constitutes a significant portion of the electorate, is largely rallying behind Rajkumar Yadav, the CPI(ML) candidate, creating a tough challenge for Babulal Marandi. A section of the Yadav community, however, was sceptical. “We believe the CMI (ML) will not win here. So, we don’t want to waste our votes and will vote for the BJP,” said Mathura Yadav, who runs a hotel in Ghorathambha village.
However, the BJP’s latest manoeuvre of securing the support of a prominent Bhumihar independent candidate has given Marandi a much-needed edge. The Bhumihar community also has a significant presence in the constituency, and this development could consolidate their votes in favour of the BJP, improving Marandi’s chances of victory.
Muslim voters gravitate to JMM, CPI (ML)
With minority voters gravitating towards Ansari and the Yadav electorate leaning heavily towards Rajkumar Yadav, Marandi’s campaign is strategically banking on consolidating the votes of other communities, including the Kushwaha and Bhumihar groups. This strategy, coupled with the high-profile induction, is seen as a game-changer in an otherwise challenging electoral scenario for the BJP.
The triangular contest in Rajdhanwar has now entered a critical phase, with each party striving to tip the balance in its favour. As the election approaches, all eyes remain on whether this strategic move by the BJP will secure a decisive victory for Babulal Marandi in one of Jharkhand’s most closely watched constituencies.
