SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, March 8: The Congress faces a significant challenge in Jharkhand.
Though Congress is firm on getting nine out of 14 seats under a seat-sharing arrangement with the JMM, insiders said the party faces a crisis where several suitable candidates are wary of contesting elections on the party ticket.
“The Congress either lacks suitable candidates for several seats, or they have declined to fight elections. So, it is most likely to bank on the old warhorses, whom the electorates have rejected in the past,” pointed out a party source, requesting anonymity.
Congress not battle-ready
“We are not battle-ready. If suddenly someone is asked to contest elections, who will contest? The party never hinted that we had to contest elections,” pointed out a Congress leader.
Some time back, the Congress tried to identify and groom potential young leaders for a more significant role in the grand old party, but it proved to be a non-starter in Jharkhand. That is why, a Congress leader pointed out, the party faces a genuine crisis of suitable candidates to take on the BJP, which is always in an election mode.
As per the deal, the Congress got seven, JMM four, JVM(P) two, and RJD one in 2019.
This time, the JVM (P) is not there. So, the Congress wants nine seats, leaving four for the JMM and one for the RJD.
The seat break-up in 2019
The Congress got Ranchi, Khunti, Lohardaga, West Singhbhum, Hazaribag, Chatra, and Dhanbad. The JMM got Dumka, Rajmahal, Giridih, and Jamshedpur. The JVM (P) got Koderma and Godda and the RJD got Palamu.
However, the JMM wants to contest five seats this time. “We want either Lohardaga or Chaibasa,” said senior JMM leader Supriyo Bhattacharya.
The BJP had bagged 12 seats, conceding one seat each for the JMM (Raj Mahal) and the Congress (Chaibasa) in 2019.
Who all have declined?
According to sources, the party wanted former Deputy Mayor Ajaynath Shahdeo to contest from Ranchi, but he has declined. So, the party will now root for Subodh Kant Sahai, who has lost the last two elections.
Similarly, Congress MLA Purnima Neeraj Singh has declined to contest from Dhanbad. According to sources, another Congress MLA, Amba Prasad, who was keen to challenge the BJP In Hazaribag, has developed cold feet.
No winnable candidate in Jamshedpur, Chaibasa
The Congress needs a winnable candidate in Jamshedpur and Chaibasa. Dr Ajoy Kumar, who earlier represented Jamshedpur on the JVM ticket, has yet to show interest in fighting elections this time.
Again, the Congress was left rudderless in Chaibasa after MP Geeta Koda quit the party and joined the BJP. No wonder the JMM, which has MLAs in all five assembly segments under the Lok Sabha, has staked claim to this seat.
However, insiders feel that the Congress has two or three suitable candidates in Lohardaga, including Sukhdeo Bhagat and Shilpy Neha Tirkey.
An insider said the Congress can reclaim this seat if leaders like Bandhu Tirkey, Dhiraj Sahu, Rameshwar Oraon, and Sukhdeo Bhagat sink their differences and support the party candidate.
“Again, we can give Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda a tough contest in Khunti as the victory margin was thin in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Kali Charan Munda is the likely candidate to oppose Arjun Munda in Khunti,” he pointed out.
Similarly, the Congress needs a suitable face in Koderma. However, two Congress MLAs-Pradeep Yadav and Deepika Pandey-are serious contenders for the Godda seat.