SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Oct 28: As the deadline for nominations in the second phase of assembly elections approaches, the Congress party’s delay in announcing a candidate for the Dhanbad seat has left party leaders and grassroots workers disheartened.
With less than 24 hours remaining, the uncertainty has created a sense of unease among party ranks. The INDI Alliance has allocated three seats to the Congress in the district—Dhanbad Sadar, Jharia, and Baghmara—of which candidates Purnima Niraj Singh and Jaleswer Mahto have already been announced for Jharia and Baghmara, respectively.
Nine candidates competing for nomination
The Congress party’s hesitance to finalise its candidate for Dhanbad Sadar is particularly concerning. In the 2019 assembly elections, senior leader Manan Mallick contested unsuccessfully but is now out of the race due to old age.
A senior party leader noted that the ongoing delay is affecting the morale of both leaders and workers in the district. Concerns are growing that if an outsider is selected for the ticket, they may face a fate similar to that of Kirti Jha Azad, who lost in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Among the potential candidates, nine individuals, including state vice-president and disciplinary committee chairman Brajendra Prasad Singh, Ajay Dubey, district president Santosh Singh, and others, are considered frontrunners for the Dhanbad seat.
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Caste considerations complicate candidacies
Party insiders indicate that while Brajendra Prasad Singh is a senior and unanimous candidate, the party’s caste dynamics may hinder his chances. With Purnima Niraj Singh, a Rajput, already nominated for Jharia, the Congress may avoid fielding another Rajput candidate in Dhanbad.
Brajendra Prasad Singh has been a strong contender for a ticket since 2000, but he has repeatedly been denied due to his Rajput background. His first setback came in the 2005 assembly elections when the late Suresh Singh was awarded the ticket from the Jharia constituency instead.
The same caste dynamics also affect Anupma Singh’s candidacy, who contested in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Similarly, district president Santosh Singh faces the same challenges regarding caste representation. After the passing of senior leader Suresh Singh, Santosh was viewed as the natural candidate for the Jharia seat in both 2014 and 2019. However, in 2014, the party chose to field the outsider Niraj Singh, and in 2019, his wife Purnima Niraj Singh was given the ticket instead.
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Emerging contenders and their challenges
Senior leader Ajay Dubey has positioned himself as a strong ticket claimant, having previously contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election but lost to BJP’s P.N. Singh. Although Dubey enjoys popularity, his limited engagement with party workers—often spending time in Delhi—has raised concerns.
Vijay Kumar Singh is a formidable contender for the Dhanbad Sadar seat. He previously contested the Dhanbad Lok Sabha seat in 1991 but lost to BJP’s Prof. Rita Verma during the Kamandal wave led by Lal Krishna Advani.
Additionally, his younger brother Ashok Singh is being considered as a potential candidate. Ashok has a solid support base among party workers, though he faces opposition from a faction in Ranchi.
Former state president Rajesh Thakur and young leader Vaibhav Sinha are also considered potential candidates in the race.
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