Itki Road — where locals ‘battle’ for Hatia before bypoll

The comforting thing for people of Hatia is that they will finally elect their representative after a gap of two years. The irritating thing is that it is testing their patience.

Those who anxiously waited over the years have to wait for another month to cast their votes, and it is far too long to give speculation wings about who will represent Hatia. But in Hatia, people relish politics as much they relish tea to carry on a debate.

They discuss like an expert about which way things would turn in Hatia and which way they won’t. Once an argument has erupted, it acts as a catalyst triggering a chain reaction; often turbulent.

Around half-a-dozen young and middle-aged people occupying a long wooden bench at a tea-cum-sweet stall on Itki Road; almost look like pantheon of local Gods arranged in a row. The morning’s newspapers have been read, the headmen taking turns, and a round of tea ordered. “Election is going to be very interesting. I have attended dozen election

meetings. JVM is pulling crowds while Congress has a thin attendance. “JVM ka Ajay Nath Shahdeo to nikaal lega (JVM’s Ajay Nath Shahdeo will surely get through),” Sadhucharan Mahto observes and waits for somebody to react.

“Yes, yes with hired crowd he is indeed going to win,” Vinay Shamra (38) says, softly but deliberately, like nudging a match close to the fuse. It soon turns into a full blown debate invoking their respective allegiance to the party and allegations against candidates. Complaints are that infrastructure and basic facilities remained absent in Hatia. For a couple of them Congress candidate Sunil Sahay can be the safe bet who can propel development in Hatia keeping the fact in mind that he happens to be the younger brother of Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay.

“Minister has done a lot of things. If his brother is elected it will be a plus for the constituency. Sahay is a minister and you will see the change, just keep your eyes open,” Md Sallauddin interrupts.

“Yes, only Hatia is left to be turned into Honolulu otherwise the Minister has changed the face of entire Jharkhand. He gave us roads, adequate electricity and civic facilities. Who is answerable for our displacement?” a retort dripping with sarcasm comes from the other end of the bench.

This is a pocket where the Congress and the JVM have equal influence, so there are fewer to support the BJP with Brijnandan Bhagat, a shopkeeper, the lone supporter. He tucks tobacco under the lower lip and leaps into an unending debate. “The Government is showing good performance. Unfortunate if people don’t reward Government for good work,” he says. He counts number of welfare measures taken by the Government like CM’s Ladli Lakshmi Yojna.

But naysayer like Vinay Sharma is ready to blot performance sheet of the Government. “Ghoshna se kya hota hai? Maine teen mahine pahle apni beti ke liye apply kiya tha lekin clerk paisa mangta hai. Yeh sab chochlebazi hai, (Does announcement make any difference? I had applied three months back for the benefit but clerks are seeking bribe. All these are platitudes), “ he said, ruthlessly tearing apart each others’ claims.

“After decades you get a Chief Minister who wants to work and you are tripping him in this fashion, Jharkhandiyon ki mati mari gayi hai (Jharkhandis have lost their senses),”

Bhagat leaves the debate midway. A crowd has gathered to hear arguments at the free public show. The Itki road is no ordinary crossroad, a centre of heated debate

where arguments spin off in many directions.