SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, May 14: Controversial BJP Dhanbad Lok Sabha candidate Dhulu Mahto has once again stoked controversy by questioning the development work of his own party’s present and past MPs in the last 20-25 years in the constituency.
MPs never did development work: Dhulu
While addressing a poll rally in Bokaro two days ago, Dhulu without mentioning the name of any person alleged that despite being the MP of the constituency for 20 to 25 years they never did development work. Rather they roamed with marijuana the whole night, he alleged.
Dhulu faces 19 criminal cases
Dhulu Mahto is facing 19 criminal cases and was convicted in two. In 2022 the then Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjiv Kumar informed the High Court that 46 cases are pending against Dhulu Mahto.
“Now people are questioning the development of the constituency but no one is coming in front to reply. Son of a poor is going to become an MP which has pained some people,” said Dhulu Mahto, who is also three times sitting MLA of Baghmara.
BJP has represented Dhanbad since 1991
The allegation of Dhulu Mahto keeps significance as the BJP has been representing the Dhanbad and Giridih Lok Sabha seats since 1991.
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Prof Rita Verma (wife of the late superintendent of police Randhir Prasad Verma) won the Dhanbad seat first time for the BJP in 1991 and retained it for the consequent four elections till 2009. In 2004 she lost to Chandrashekhar Dubey of the Congress.
However, present sitting MP PN Singh regained it in the 2009 election and won in 2014 and 2019. In the 2019 election, he won with the highest number of votes in Jharkhand.
Giridih under AJSU kitty
Similarly, the BJP and its alliance partner AJSU have been representing the Giridih LS seat since 1996. Ravindra Pandey became the 1st BJP MP of Giridih in 1996 and retained the seat (four times) till 1999. In 2004 he lost but regained it in 2009 and 2014. In 2019, under a seat-sharing arrangement, the BJP gave the seat to AJSU and its candidate Chandra Prakash Choudhary won it.
A senior leader of the BJP said that since Bokaro district falls in both the constituencies of Dhanbad and Giridih, Dhulu Mahto has put the party ‘s MPs’ development work in both areas in the dock as they had been representing the constituencies for the last 33 years in a row.
Sitting MP PN Singh did not receive a call on Tuesday morning to give a reaction to the allegation of Dhulu Mahto and former MP Prof Rita Verma could not be available for comment.
Dhulu should keep patience: Pandey
But former MP of Giridh Ravindra Pandey reacting to the allegation of Dhulu Mahto said that the BJP candidate should keep patience and speak in a limited quantity at this juncture. “He is the groom of the marriage party and he should comment in calculated words. If he feels no development has been done, he has been given a ticket to complete that,” said Pandey.
Earlier, Dhulu Mahto in Dhanbad had alleged that BJP MPs, and MLAs either have taken money or fear in protesting criminals and coal mafia.
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