Sahay bites dust returns bloodied in Hatia battle

Personal loss for Sahay, brother lost deposit

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI

In a strange, rather piquant sort of way, Union Minister and Congress heavy weight Subodh Kant Sahay has emerged as worst political casualty on the result sheet of the Hatia assembly by-election that he fought proxy.

Securing ticket for brother; Sunil Sahay, remained a prestige point for him for whom he successfully pulled all might and mechanism despite open protest and grumbling of some of the old guards of the party.

But Sahays ended flapping their wings hopelessly about the wind that did not obey their command: pushed to fourth position and even lost deposit; against inflated claim to conquer.

The constituency which he had nourished over the years and even planned to keep it in his family pocket gave him such a rude shock — politically and personally. The man is left to collect pieces of his crumbled citadels till 2014 when assembly elections are scheduled.

He is left to carp and cry over the defeat of his brother— more than his party.  “Such factors affected election result…but we had not expected such kind of verdict. In politics and elections such things happen,” the minister said. He probably wanted to say that Muslim masses messed him, urban voters remained uninterested on the poll day. The point to worry is that his bother trailed even in those pockets where a mere summon by bhaiyaji (Subodh Kant) used to bring sea of support.

But the election result is not just about local rout and ravaging. It is seen as a personal defeat of Sahay who could not convince the constituency that Sunil is party candidate too. Friday brought loads of frustration for Sahay but his opponents, within the party, must be enjoying and rejoicing the day.

“Let him mourn the defeat. And please don’t say that the Congress got defeated. It was Sahay family that was fighting election,” a senior Congress leader said.

Subodh Kant did just what his shrewd political adversaries wished him to. During the Rajya Sabha election Sahay frantically lobbied to stop any Congress-JVM deal after Babulal Marandi of the JVM demanded Hatia seat from the Congress as a price to support the Congress candidate Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu. He succeeded because any such deal would have denied his brother such golden opportunity of direct entry in the assembly without undergoing internship in active politics. He supported and secured victory combination for Balmuchu; his bête noir. He loved his brother more than he despised Balmuchu over the years.

He secured ticket for his brother and his adversaries went to town to start whispering campaign that minister is yet another political opportunist who is dumping larger interest of the party to promote his family.

“It was bound to happen. Do you think that electorates are such a fool who will nod over the wishes of Minister?” said Pratibha Pandey who left Congress just before the election.

“It is clear Subodhj Ji is not bothered about the party he remained bothered for his family interests,” she said.

This was a classic case of promoting family over party so the result remained historic. His own party is simmering with indignation at what many are calling the Sahay as an instrument of defeat of the party here in Hatia. “Imposing Sunil as candidate was a huge mistake for which we have suffered. Sadly top leaders in the state have shown tendency to promote each others’ family interest and ignored the claim of dedicated workers,” said another leader.

On the face Sunil was a Congress candidate, practically the Minister was contesting the election and Sunil was a just poster boy smiling under the shadow of his heavy weight brother. The campaign and strategy were largely controlled scripted by Sahays and Co with least involvement of party at large.

Sunil’s nomination had hurt at least three Congress leaders immediately: Alok Dubey, Dipu Sinha and Pratibha Pandey.

Having led the Congress to its lowest perch in the memory of past many elections in Hatia, senior Sahay may now have enough time and space to ponder for lowly as it is, this perch is also a lonely place.