After two decades of negligence a promise of road from Munda

VIJAY DEO JHA

GIRIDIH/ DHANBAD

It took more than two hours to the blaring flotilla of Chief Minister Arjun Munda to travel 16 km of stretch of Khorimahua-Dhanwar-Jamua road to reach Giridih district headquarter on Monday night during a road inspection visit.

And, it took more than two decades for the state governments to sanction funds for repairing and strengthening of this road. Last time the road was renovated way back in 1990 when Jagannath Mishra was Chief Minister of undivided Bihar.

It is a seer irony that the area was represented by heavyweights like Chandra Mohan Prasad, Lakshman Swarnkar, Ravindra Roy and Lalchand Mahto who were even minister in the successive state governments. All of them are now sulking on the sidelines of the state politics. They were shunted by electorates for not taking bothering about the condition of this road considered as a vital economic life line that connects Giridih with states like West Bengal and Bihar.

Chief Minister Arjun Munda while passing through this dilapidated road understood the political cost involved in neglecting it further. “I have seen the bad condition of this road. The government has decided to sanction amounts for its renovation and tenders will be opened on March 5. I will ensure that construction work is completed within time frame,” Munda informed at a press conference in Giridih on Monday morning.

But before the arrival schedule of Munda in Giridih was announced locals had made their mood known this time. They resisted patch-up work of this road by desperate officials of the road construction department who wanted to fill carters on the road before the arrival of Munda. Only few kilometer of stretch could be patched-up otherwise the rest exposed official apathy of the last two decades.

“As I remember the road was last renovated in 1990 in undivided Bihar when Jagannath Mishra was Chief Minister. The condition of road is very bad…and nobody cared about this,” Bablu Pathak a young social activist said. A major stretch of this road passes through Giridih parliamentary constituency which is being represented by Ravindra Pandey of the BJP.

“It is not a simple story Sir,” interrupts Pramod Chaudhary, a local journalist. “In fact this road remained neglected due to political reason. While the BJP controls parliamentary seat but its assembly constituencies are under the control of the non-BJP parties like the JVM and the RJD. Even the JVM chief Babulal Marandi, who often blames BJP led state government over the road issue; does not want it to be developed. He will lose a point to target the state government. I feel Marandiji is a big stumbling block,” he said.

The 35.260 km long Khorimahua-Jamua road passes through Rajdhanwar and Jamua assembly constituency represented by Nizamuddin Ansari and Chandrika Mahto of the JVM.

While Munda rejected any such political consideration behind decade long negligence of the road but he pricked Marandi with classic banter. “I hope you must be happy. If anybody is unhappy please let me know,” Munda said.

Leaving Giridih around 10.30 on Monday morning Dhanbad was the next destination of Munda where baffling sets of local concerns were ready to welcome him: long standing rehabilitation issue of people in Jhariya coal belt and drinking water problem of Dhanbad.

“Rehabilitation of thousands of population of Jhariya is a big. The issue comes within the jurisdiction of the Central government and the Union Coal Ministry that want to vacate the area due to underground fire and further exploration of coal. But I will certainly demand special package from the Centre for rehabilitation of resident of Jhariya,” Munda told The Pioneer.

Ideology takes a back seat, purses matter

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI

You are allowed to laugh if someone believes that political ideology has something to do with any of the Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand. From Maharaja to business tycoon; Jharkhand has been the perfect place for political refuge. Outsiders' ability to win elections specially that of Rajya Sabha has inspired many.

The upcoming Rajya Sabha election for two seats in Jharkhand, scheduled for March 30 (following the end of the term of BJP’s SS Ahluwaliya and Mabel Rebelo of the Congress), has come as an open invitation to outsiders.

The Maharajadhiraj of Raj Darbhanga, Kameswar Singh, was not a refugee when he won Rajya Sabha election in 1952 as candidate of the Jharkhand Party of Jaipal Singh after loosing general election of 1951. But he had no connection with the tribal, the party and tribal politics of the region known as Jharkhand; a part of undivided Bihar then.

The deal was finalized in Delhi’s power corridor, mediated by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who had persuaded hockey wizard Jaipal Singh to field Maharaja in the Rajya Sabha election. “The Unrest Axle: Ethno-Social Movement in Eastern India,” written Gautam Kumar Bera offers an insight. "Maharaja had no connection with Jharkhand Party and its ideology. The decision was resented. But none dared to oppose it," a chapter of the book reads.

A noted academician who was close to Maharaja had once revealed that Jaipal Singh was convinced that Kameswar Singh—richest landlord of India; with his two leading newspapers — Indian Nation and Aryavarta—would be an added advantage for the party. Winning Rajya Sabha election even during 50s was not possible without money as it happens today. Maharaja had to spend around Rs three lakh to keep the JP fold together, it is said.

But prior to the entry of Maharaja; politics and politicians of Jharkhand, known for their anti-outsider mindset called Diku (outsider); had ended embargo on outsider with the election of Minoo Mashani from the Ranchi Lok Sabha seat in the first general election. Mashani never turned to Ranchi after his election. In 1977 Ravindra Varma, from Kerala, had contested as Oppositions’ candidate from Ranchi Lok Sabha seat. “Quick to promise development Varma won election; became Union Labour Minister and assured to get a house here in Ranchi to serve people till rest of his life. He never returned to Ranchi,” Uttam Sengupta who had covered Varma’s election remembered. Varma though remained connected with his only friend industrialist Hanuman Prasad Sarawgi in Ranchi.

After the formation of Jharkhand in 2000, it became free hunting ground of the tycoon and refugees. Parimal Nathwani, the corporate head of Reliance Industries Limited, won Rajya Sabha election in 2008 as an independent without any effort. At least nine JMM, two RJD and a few of others made him to win. The result had left such a bad taste in the mouth of the JMM candidate Kishorilal (himself an outsider) that he had sportingly said that he would think twice to contest even a municipal election from Jharkhand. Media wasted rims of paper to narrate the success story of Nathwani: It was money that mattered.

The JMM having infamy of fielding and supporting rich and resourceful outsiders for Rajya Sabha elections had fielded RK Anand. In 2010 Rajya Sabha election, the JMM again picked an outsider; Kanwar Deep Singh; a Haryana based industrialist and owner of Alchemist Group. KD Singh had forged untenable connections with Jharkhand emotional if not ancestral, though to stop being labelled as an outsider. Few were convinced about hid dedication towards Jharkhand. The most investigated story remained an unconfirmed story of an inside deal; which nobody in the JMM attests or contests even today except feign ignorance.

Singh won the election with the help of additional five votes of the AJSU Party. But he never returned to Jharkhand after that and deserted the JMM to join the Trinmool Congress. “We have bad experience with outsider. The party leadership might have received lesson. Hope this time no outsider is given ticket and supported,” JMM MLA Sheshank Sekhar Bhokta said.

    
The JMM is not alone in doing this. The BJP and the Congress in the past have shown hospitality in fielding outsiders since there is no constitutional impropriety.

Ahluwalia, a Sikh born and brought up in Asansol, is married to a Bengali and speaks Bengali fluently was accommodated in Jharkhand. Former BJP MP Devdas Apte is not seen after his term ended. Similarly, Congress MP Mabelo Rebello of Goan descent born in Udupi and close to the Goan border with Karnataka has no connections, even remote, with Jharkhand. She has concern for a smaller part of Jharkhand, district Gumla and its surrounding area where she is learnt to have some missionary interests. With elections round the corner back room negotiation has started. Though, Jharkhand Vikash Morcha opted for a local nominee.

My rebirth for Jharkhand and country: Munda

Anupam Sheshank/ Vijay Deo Jha

Ranchi 

He is a theist but he is now very strong in believing that divinity exists beyond the point of human perception after he survived deadly chopper crash a month back.

There is no better person than Chief Minister Arjun Munda to tell us presence of divine during those 70 minutes in air when his chopper developed perilous technical snags enough to perish life.

He miraculously escaped from the jaw of death with multiple close injuries, fracture and burns on his left hand, right leg and spinal cord. He has recovered from psychological trauma of crash, though; his face slyly twists out of pain. He is recovering from injuries at the CM House following seven weeks of complete bed rest prescribed by the doctors. Visitors keep flocking to wish him and he attends all with his usual smile. So many things have changed in his life after the crash: both at the level of perception and personality. 

In an exclusive interview with The Pioneer Munda shared those moments of battle between life and death. “I survived because of grace God,” Munda said. He soon turns enigmatic: “But why God gave me a new lease of life. It must not be without reasons. Almighty probably wanted me to serve my people. It is my rebirth. It is for Jharkhand,” he says.

He survived, may be out of sheer luck or may be because of blessings of divine that wants him in a new role. Munda may be right since the history of chopper crash of such magnitude in India and elsewhere has not offered any instance of survival of that kind.

“In the last one month I read a lot of incidents of chopper crash in the past where none survived. My wife (Meera Munda inside the chopper) became nervous and asked me to call some of our close to take care of our children in case we don’t survive. I just switched-off my cell phone and told her keep patience that nothing is going to happen. But I knew that chances of survival are less in such cases since the chopper was flying at the speed of 90 nautical miles per hour…pilots had lost control over speed. It was not possible to land with that speed. We survived. Why?” he said.

Arnuchal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia are some of instances to prove his points.

A tactile change has appeared in Munda. His personality has got some other layers, not known before, which he accepts. “I have been serving people. I am not the master of this life of mine. God has given me an opportunity to serve people in better way that I will do,” Munda says.

An avid reader and quick learner, Munda has developed deep interest in philosophy of Chanakya over polity and governance. He has brought CDs of 48 episodes of TV serial Chanakya which he has been watching regularly besides reading books. Munda talks less about mundane affairs of state and politics, he is more metaphysical than political.

“One takes birth after nine months in the womb. I am in the bed, waiting for rebirth. I don’t know how much time I am to like this. But I will come back. It’s God’s design that I must follow,” he says.   

Doctors have advised him a complete bed rest as he suffered injuries in vertebra during crash. But those, who are concerned about his vertebra, have forgotten the man has a formidable spine. He is discharging his duties as Chief Minister, taking minute to minute details of administrative affairs in the bed.

He will soon put a bone to his back, like a warrior would put sword to scabbard, and stride into the field of slaughter, unbothered about what happened in the past.

Hatia by-poll: Too tough a fight for Sahays!

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI

He dares dust and stinging heat, grabs hands of few youths’ and does some whispering in ears that came close to him, fondles a couple of school going kids and asks if they know who he is and jumps back to announce. “All of them know me personally…even children; this is happening everywhere, so you judge how I am doing,” he cocks back his sweaty head.  

Call it confidence, call it complacency, Congress Party candidate Sunil Sahay has convinced himself that he is set to grab Hatia. He is loath to his experience in active politics and looks other when his Opponents — even within the Congress — dismiss him just as younger brother of Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay.

Muted protest of giving preference to family rather than dedicated party workers has become louder. On Wednesday, veteran Congress leader Pratibha Pandey accused senior Sahay responsible for rout of the Congress. “Sahay had started the process of the ruin of the Congress which will be finished in Hatia,” Pandey said on Wednesday and announced to join the BJP. She is peeved at the denial of ticket. Congress has a long list of such whiners who are secretly wishing and plotting for defeat to boom on the face of Sahays. 

“My opponents have been running short of ideas and arsenals against me. They have accepted defeat in advance,” he chucks such impressions in the bin and move ahead to other location to grab more hands. This is a huge leap of faith that he has acquired during tedious tour of Hatia constituency. Elder brother has already deployed his trusted men, might, manner and mesmerism for him and Bhabhi(Sister in law) Rekha Sahay too came out of kitchen to catch vote. He knows, though, at the bottom of his conviction of victory that he argued ahead of time, that it will take very little to un-work all his talk of work.

This is Hatia assembly constituency after all where caste, candidate, combination and party organization are intrinsically woven. There are candidates like Ramji Lal Sarda (BJP), Naveen Jaisawal (AJSU Party), Ajay Nath Sahdeo (JVM) and few others who have made the fight multi-cornered. Sarda is probably fighting last election of his life and the BJP has deployed its organizational bases, up to booth level, to snatch Hatia back from the Congress and to compensate what Sarda lost marginally in the last election at the hand of Congress’ Late Gopal Sharan Nath Shahdeo of the Ratu royal family. “Here it is BJP not Sarda who is fighting. In the Congress this is a Minister who is fighting the election. Things are going to be miserable for Sahays,” Hemant Keshri, a BJP worker said. Even if the contest become bipolar, between Congress and BJP finally, Sahay has two powerful contenders, Ajay and Naveen who are targeting Congress’ core Muslim votes.

“Muslims en masses are not going to vote for Congress. There are many Muslim candidates in the fray other than the move of JVM and AJSU Party. We need to be very cautious,” says Ashraf Ali a Congress worker at Itki bazaar. Itki appeared divided over its electoral choice. The contest is mainly among BJP, AJSU and JVM while the Congress is trying to jostle for its share.

Don’t forget Virendra Bhagat here in Itki area just because he is contesting as an independent. Having potential hold over Sarna votes in Itki, which has sizeable chunk of around 20000, Bhagat has been wooing Christian votes too as independent MLA Bandhu Tirkey now extending him overt support.

Sahay’s adversaries have surrounded him from all sides, from rural to urban areas, from campaign to criticism. “It time to teach Congress lessons for loot and corruption…time to teach Congress for neglecting Hatia” as though his Opponents have ganged-up against him. “We are getting publicity free of cost. That means we are in the fray,” chortle one Congress worker but he admits that Opposition has thrown unexpected challenges. And junior brother is counting too much on his elder to handle Opposition’s mounted assault.

The large part of Ratu which remained loyal to the Congress because of its loyalty towards the royal family may witness loyalty shift. “People voted to Gopal sahib not to Congress. This time, the BJP will gain here,” said Mahaveer Gupta, owner of a cloth shop. If proofs are required BJP flags fluttering atop houses indicate so. Ajay, kin of the royal family is trying to claim legacy of Shahdeo. Sahay knows that election result will have far reaching impact -- a truth he will not accept publicly.

He banks upon his voters, not on his bank

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI

He flung a simple notion into Hatia’s fiery electoral battle that elections can be contested without money also, all too aware about public forecast and personal foreboding that he has least chances to win.

To a people torn between such high-voltage campaign and powerful candidates he merely decided to say: “I don’t have any party, I don’t have flags. I don’t promise beyond the point that I am your servant.”

Virendra Bhagat has truly been a nightmare for political parties and candidates those who are aware of his hold over rural voters. He is contesting as an independent against all the power and resources of parties like the Congress, AJSU and the JVM. Contesting 2009 assembly election from Hatia as the JMM candidate he remained on fourth position by netting 22,173 votes.

The JMM denied him ticket in this by-election as the party decided not to field any candidate. Bhagat, a popular face among tribal knows how to win hearts and votes. “Jo paise ka khel Hatia me ho rahaa hai uske khilaf log aage aa rahe hain. Mere paas paise nahi mere paas public aur unka support hai. (The people are coming forward against use of money in the election. I don’t have money but I have support of the people.)” Many call him a maverick and wonder about his dream to contest election and win it without spending even a single penny. But they, too, appreciate the way the man has carved his constituency and followers.

“While rest of the candidates has pumped money ensuring all comforts for people campaigning for them but youths campaigning for Bhagat doesn’t require these. People even bring food from their home and even invest their own savings,” Mahaveer Gupta, owner of a garment shop at Ratu said.

Bhagat exhausted his personal savings to put into his campaign. But that sum was gone even before he could begin to count it, so he went to the people. But his supporters and people of his area started filling up his coffers with fivers and tenners, and a couple of odd hundred-rupee note, too. He is sure to reflect poorly upon poll expenditure sheet of the Election Commission but he is getting impressive response.

His candidature and claims are being discussed at roadside tea stalls and eateries, one who has consolidated his hold over tribal voters in parts of Itki, Ratu, Naya Sarai, Kute and Nagri area. “He is a unique candidate who is seeking vote along with note,” said one Dinesh Sao. Dinesh wouldn’t mind even wasting his vote for a candidate who is popular but assures no guarantee.

But he has given many sleepless nights to party candidates. The Congress candidate Sunil Sahay has been in disparate bid to gain grounds in the rural area. Bhagat is there to stop him. The JVM chief Babulal Marandi has pulled all stops to make a dent in his loyal vote bank for his candidate Ajay Nath Sahdeo. He returned without getting any convincing assurance. In Naya Sarai youths appeared less obsessed with tantalizing offers and resources of the AJSU Party.

“He is challenging us from the flank. Though, he has no support base in the urban area but in his area of control he is potential contender,” a senior BJP leader said.

Bhagat becomes bit over conscious while talking to journalists and flash of camera. Every time the camera clicks, he halts mid-sentence…“flash dazzles me I am not used to this. His followers at Kute laugh at the discomfiture of their hero. He raises issues that concern his constituents: displacement. But Bhagat appears a man of more courage and conviction than a flashbulb can daunt.

“I don’t have resource but have reason to fight. Many call me vote katwa but I am fighting for people,” he said. He may loose battle but not the cause to it.

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.

AJSU sends Hatia shockwaves to political heavyweights 

Sahay loses deposit, slips to fourth position

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI 

Hatia has emphatically endorsed its tryst with a new political destiny whose crafty author is a bestseller called AJSU chief Sudesh Kumar Mahto and the party candidate Naveen Jaisawal. In a stunning electoral surge, Jaisawal netted41,566 votes in a fierce battle and defeated his nearest JVM rival Ajay Nath Sahdeo by a margin of 11,884 votes. Sahdeo could manage 29,682 votes.

But candidates of the two national parties Ramji Lal Sarda of the BJP and Sunil Sahay of the Congress; suffered so miserably that their respective party could not venture beyond tailor-made statement that the party will do introspection of such unexpected defeat. The BJP got 26,151 votes and slipped to third position. But the Congress not only slipped to fourth position but lost the deposit despite Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahay had thrown his weight behind his brother; Sunil. The result was not so unexpected except for Jaisawal who probably would not have thought of a huge support in Hatia.

“Huge. My God,” Jaisawal gasped in a private moment after the result was declared. And what he said publicly reflected what he had expressed privately.

“It is all because of the trust of people in me and my party which enabled me to get support from cross section of the society. I am an ordinary person who has been entrusted with a huge responsibility. This is not a victory, this is a responsibility. The victory is theirs (people), what I have got is a tough job,” he said after the result on Friday.  

From first round of counting and till result was declared Jaisawal remained the stakeholder of the first position while his rivals were fighting to end as runner-up with respectable tally. 

Jaisawal has emerged as an alchemised who created a winner weave in which the people of Hatia glimpse glimmer of a better tomorrow. Several myths got shattered in Hatia. Muslims shook off their calcified loyalties towards the Congress and shifted towards the AJSU Party largely and the JVM; partially. The Vaisya vote which traditionally voted for the BJP embraced the AJSU Party.

Those in the BJP and the Congress who made a claim over Hatia saying the parties have been winning the seat; were left eating a crow and found it difficult to suggest probable reasons of their defeat.

“The party got defeated because of low turn-out of urban voters. One of our top leaders Arjun Munda could not turn up for campaigning because of his illness. These affected our poll prospect. The BJP will introspect,” state BJP president Dineshnanda Goswami made a brief statement. The reaction of Congress president Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu was remarkably close to the BJP in referring vague adjectives.

But their statements sufficiently revealed that the party has least ground support in the rural area that largely voted for the AJSU candidate. If anybody competed with AJSU in the rural area it was Virendra Bhagat who netted 17559 votes. True that urban never remained stronghold of the AJSU. But the poll sheet reveals that the AJSU got support in the urban area also.

As triumphal troupes began to trickle past the bungalow of AJSU chief kicking up confetti clouds, a surreal silence closed in on the office and residence of political parties and their respective bosses.

Defeat had never knocked so hard at these gates. Subodh Kant had never expected that he will be shown the door this way. Sarda’s last push for assembly was so rudely knocked that the old man has signaled resignation to the fate. “It is fate. I did best. What else I can do?” he said.    

Today was a day when famed gift of the gab seemed to have deserted JVM chief Babulal Marandi who had announced Hatia as the beginning of big ticket election 2014. He sounded like a superannuated big gun shooting blanks. At this moment he can feel solace in the defeat of the Congress.

Perhaps they will begin to, once they have recovered from the shock of electric Sudesh.

A tale of how money powers House entry

Against his pretending low-profile which can dismiss him as an attendant who runs errand for a powerful politician, this whistleblower has a tale to tell — how money powers a contestant to the Rajya Sabha.

He has witnessed ‘horse-trading’ during the Rajya Sabha election in Jharkhand, and passed many critical clues to the Income Tax.

On the condition of anonymity, this 45-year-old man opens his mouth: “I will be eliminated if they (the contestants) get to know about me. I may have breached their trust but I did it for a good cause.”

Closely associated with many powerful politicians, this man has been a frequent visitor to the power corridor. He is now ready to blow the lids off the sensational story of MLAs being put on the auction by candidates contesting the Jharkhand RS poll. This anonymous whistleblower was roped-in by one or other candidates to muster votes of MLAs.

“At the last moment, the entire game of the Rajya Sabha election turned into a tussle between the merchants,” he said. The man revealed some more names who remained closely associated with one of the contestants during the RS poll campaign.

The whistleblower added that one Rajiv Kumar Singh, resident of Ashok Nagar, who is believed to be Central Government employee in Delhi, was the right hand man of one of the contestants in the RS poll. “This contestant offered `2 crore for the vote of first preference and `1 crore for the vote of second preference,” he said. In the first lot of payment this person had paid money to 13 MLAs, including those from the JMM and some independents.

The whistleblower claimed that a couple of BJP MLAs too entered into deals with this contestant. However, the whistleblower also mentioned couple of names who refused the bribe offer for vote. They were Raghuwar Das, Neelkanth Singh Munda of the BJP, Annapurna Devi of the RJD and all BJP Ministers in the State Government.

“The second contestant had a rather lucrative offer that gave competition to the first contestant who had offered `2 crore for the vote of first preference and `1 crore for the vote of second preference. This second contestant offered `2.30 crore for first preference vote and `1.50 crore for second preference. He contacted around 29 MLAs of the BJP and the JMM, independent and others. He was very careful and cautious,” said the whistleblower. This contestant rather deployed top industrialist or business family of the said constituency of MLAs to secure their votes.

“Heavy payment was made on Thursday night (a day before the election). They used all their resources to make best electoral deal that night. A white Indica car was parked on the Assembly premises and was used to bring money. It slipped before we could inform Income Tax sleuths,” added the whistleblower.

Top Income Tax sources told The Pioneer that 21 MLAs of the Assembly were under IT scanner. “We received vital information. We can’t disclose the names of whistleblowers. We have evidence to suggest that around six to seven MLAs received money to cast their vote,” said a top official.

“The second contestant is known to me and I had campaigned for him as he was a good candidate. But that does not mean that either he or me were involved in any horse-trading,” said the whisteblower.

Gadkari visits Munda but heels coalition

It was a handshake largely seen as an attempt to minimise the shock that once rocked the coalition boat; even disturbing the trust template between the BJP and the JMM during and after the Rajya Sabha elections.

National BJP president Nitin Gadkari and Deputy Chief Minister Hemant Soren had this handshake moment twice, on Sunday, without clamour of attention and pops of the flashbulbs.

Gadkari along with party’s national general secretary Vijay Goyal and Kiran Maheswari visited Chief Minister Arjun Munda on Sunday who is recovering after sustaining injuries during chopper crash and later admitted in Apollo Hospital. Conspicuously, Soren arrived moments before Gadkari reached at the Apollo to receive him. Gadkari along with Soren stayed for around 20 minutes with Munda and expressed satisfaction over his recovery. Neither the place nor the moment was convenient even for light political discussion.

Sources having privy to that meeting said: “Gadkariji inquired about the health of Chief Minister and he was particularly pleased to find Soren alongside Mundaji and had a warm handshake. It was a not a mere handshake…it was political gesture by both to rebuff reports of rift between the coalition partners after the Rajya Sabha elections.”

There were instances and episodes outside to suggest it. Though, both Soren and Gadkari did not offer anything for political consumption over the functioning of the Government and understanding of the coalition partners except saying that any report of misunderstanding and grudge was unfounded. Soren rather insisted to accompany Gadkari to the airport in his car where they had detailed talk over strengthening coalition tie and running the Government smoothly.

“Gadkari’s visit has energised the party and strengthened the Government further,” State BJP president Dineshnanda Goswami told The Pioneer later on.

“Soren was very active. He remained with Gadkari and even insisted to drop him to his private aircraft as though he was trying to compensate the mistake in the past for not visiting Gadkari and other senior party leaders in Delhi to resolve differences between the BJP and the JMM over separate candidature of these two parties. They had handshake here again,” sources said.

Even the JMM insiders were of the view that such gestures are subject to serious political interpretation. “It was something beyond mere courtesy meeting and welcome if Deputy Chief Minister accompanied Gadkari during his Ranchi visit. He even did not mind to let himself mixed-up with the State BJP leaders and workers who had turned in large number to welcome Gadkari,” a senior JMM leader said.

“If something was lost during and after the Rajya Sabha election we recovered it,” the leader said. When one of those men called Gadkari and the other Soren, it’s never just a handshake, it is something beyond that.

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.

RS money game: Kings & pawns under I-T lens

Top sources in the Income Tax department claimed having gathered sufficient clues about a woman legislator of ruling coalition who believed to have received Rs 2 crore from an independent candidate of RS election outside Jharkhand as a price to cast her vote.

“We can’t reveal much about the payment as it will affect the case but one of her relatives received said amount,” top sources in the Income Tax department told the Pioneer over telephone.

The case is likely to be transferred to the CBI by Tuesday, after the Jharkhand High Court directed Election Commission of India to handover the case of  horse trading to the CBI. IT sources said that a former MP from Jharkhand who was involved in mustering MLAs support for an independent candidate is likely to be quizzed.

“He was chief architect of the election strategy of an independent candidate who used his political and personal connections to get support of some of the independent MLAs and others. We strongly suspect amounts were paid to MLAs ,” sources said.

Investigating the matter Income Tax suspect involvement of a city based hotelier who had arranged five rooms at his hotel to one independent candidate during RS election. A search operation was carried in the hotel on Thursday night-a day before RS polling by the Income Tax. “We did not find anything to suggest wheeling and dealing. But what was suspicious was that the hotel had not maintained proper register of its occupants and check-in period. They need to explain to us,” an IT official who was the part of the search team said. During the grilling hotel authorities accepted that one Ram Bangar had booked these rooms.

Interestingly, suspended BJP MLA Ramchandra Baitha who is believed to have voted for Dhoot made a secret visit to Income Tax department a few days back. “We can’t doubt anybody just because one has voted for those who are under scanner. But Baitha said us that a former MP had contacted him for vote in the favour of a certain candidate,” an insider said. Baitha accepted having met some top IT official but he refused to divulge the detail.

While scores of MLAs cutting across the party line have been under constant watch of the Income Tax and investigative agencies; IT Department has prepared the list of persons who are alleged to be either a liaison or acted as a courier to pay money to some of the MLAs.

The IT Department has got vital lead about a person known as Pappu belonging to Barhet who was managing votes of MLAs from Santhal Pargana.

“We request common people and whistleblowers to help us to provide information about the horse trading during RS poll,” Income Tax Commissioner Ajit Kumar Srivastava said.

Liquor mafia spectre looms over case

The CBI suspects that liquor syndicate played an active role in managing votes for an independent candidate during March 30 Rajya Sabha election that was countermanded following allegations of horse trading.

During a raid on the premises of Vishnu Bhaiya, JMM MLA from Jamtara, the CBI on April 21, had seized Toyota Fortuner vehicle and Rs four lakh from the possession of Bhaiya. During interrogation, Bhaiya claimed that the said vehicle was given to him by one Yogendra Tiwari, a local businessman, who has considerable control over liquor market.

During investigation it was revealed that the vehicle was purchased a day after polling with cash payment of Rs 25 Lakh. Vehicle was purchased against the name of a business firm Chakrapani Commodities Private Limited having its office in Kolkata which appears to be non-existent. The address of the company has been shown P4, New Howrah Bridge, Approach Road, Kolkata 700001 while purchase deal has been signed by one Chandan Kumar Singh, who is shown to be the manager of the said firm.

The CBI sent a team to verify the existence of the company. “No such company by this name exists. P4 is a big business premise. If the company of said name is situated in the building it must have shop number, at least. Even after we tried to trace it out and seized rental records of last three years from the possession of the building society. There was criminal intent behind, Tiwari has no convincing reply,” a CBI official said.

“Purchasing vehicle on the name of a fake business firm is itself doubtful. Another doubtful thing is that the vehicle was purchased a day after polling. Agency believes that Vishnu Bhaiya used Tiwari as front man for purchase of vehicle,” the official said.

Asked to explain was the vehicle a gift from Tiwari or purchased from money out of graft Bhaiya said: “Tiwari has already claimed ownership of vehicle. He had voluntarily offered me its use. He handed it over on April 2,” he said.

During interrogation Tiwari told the CBI that that Bhaiya had forced him to give a vehicle as he had been demanding protection money. But the CBI has doubts over the story. “Vishnu Bhaiya has been representing Jamtara from the last two terms. There is no such record or report that the MLA ever sought protection money from Tiwari,” official said.

CBI sources said that the MLA had cast second preference vote to independent candidate Pawan Kumar Dhoot which the MLA had accepted before the media after the polling.

A 32-year-old Tiwari is the story of meteoric rise in liquor business in the last five years which his father Rameswar Tiwari had established. Virtually controlling liquor business in Santhal Pargana division; Tiwari soon expanded his business in the hotel industry and constructed a big hotel Utsav Landmark in Jamtara. Resident of Mihizam, Tiwari was close to Congress leader Furkan Ansari.

Silent Ratu royals set off clamour among Hatia contenders

The Ratu royal family’s studied silence over Hatia Assembly by-election has kept two potential contenders in the fray — Ajay Nath Shahdeo (JVM) and Sunil Sahay (Congress) clueless about the leanings of the Palace.

Royal patriarch Lal Chintamani Saran Nath Shahdeo (80) hardly made any public appearance after the death of his son, Gopal Saran Nath Shahdeo in 2010 who represented Hatia Assembly twice as Congress candidate.

Left without any heir-apparent to take over the royal title and one who would carry forward the political legacy, the royal household was least interested that Priyadarshani Shahdeo, widow of Gopal, should join politics when the State Congress approached Chintamani with that request, last year.

Though the Palace remains detached in the elections, but it has considerable hold over people and even a whisper from there is enough to tip electoral balance, at least in Ratu area.

Though the palace is not the election hub but it is crucial due to the vast number of Ratu raj loyalists. The silence is being interpreted as support, which both Ajay Shahdeo and Sunil Sahay camp are claiming.

Shahdeo is part of the vast Ratu royal family tree and was closely associated with Gopal. A regular visitor to the palace and the erstwhile ruler, Shahdeo is not only claiming to be the unchallenged flag bearer of the palace but also a legitimate political successor of Gopal and the family.

“Maharaja (Chintamani) blessed me with success and morally encouraged me to fight election. I start my campaign after taking his blessings and return in evening to brief him,” Shahdeo said during the campaign. He holds two sets of identity: one as Deputy Mayor of Ranchi Municipal Corporation who has grown in popularity index by making himself available anytime and anywhere and as scion of the royal family. Seeking votes he invokes his royal identity as per the mood and sentiment of audience, that too area specific.

He admitted: “Whenever I meet people they recognise me as their son and one who has made himself available to them. Many identify me as the scion of the royal family which has been serving people from centuries, especially in Ratu area. They have placed so much of faith in me,” Shahdeo said, adding his title and association with the family will help him in Ratu, if not everywhere.

But the royal household is unlikely to come out of its grand isolation to help Shahdeo. Chintamani had not issued any public appeal when Gopal was contesting elections, in fact, Ratu palace has often been reluctant to display political loyalty.

In the 50s Chintamani contested as Independent from the Ranchi Assembly constituency (Hatia was part of greater Ranchi constituency till 1974). Later, Chintamani was elected to Bihar Legislative Council as Congress candidate.

Congress feels Ajay Shahdeo’s claim as politically incorrect and is not ready to allow him to encash the popularity of late Gopal Sharan and the royal family. “Association of royal family with the Congress is an established fact. Late Gopal Sharan was a Congress legislator. JVM candidate can’t claim to carry on unfulfilled tasks of our late legislator just because he holds royal appendage…It is for the Congress party to do. Many members of the royal families across the country have different political associations, have any of them tendered same logic?” State Congress spokesperson Shailesh Sinha retorted.

If Ajay kicked off his campaign with royal blessings, Sahay had also knocked the royal gates. Amid preparations for Hatia electoral battle, set on June 12, Ratu palace is still mourning the death of its bright scion and does not want any flag or poster on its premises.