BJP holds meet, asks leaders to back Mahto’s candidature
DHANBAD: Amid fierce opposition within the party over the allotment of the ticket to Dhullu Mahto, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organised meetings in Bokaro and Dhanbad on Saturday to gauge the sentiments of party workers and exhorted the party workers to support the party leader “to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi”, people close to the developments said.
During the meeting held at Bokaro under the presidency of Jaidev Rai, district president of BJP, Karmveer Singh, state general secretary (organisation) of the party, said, “BJP is a cadrebased party, and every party worker has to work like a squirrel to ensure the victory of the party candidate. We should begin work from today itself and contact the common people to apprise them about the welfare activities carried out by the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Protests began after the allotment of the party ticket to Dhullu Mahto from Dhanbad constituency on March 25, with Krishna Agarwal, the district committee member of BJP, writing a letter to the party’s Jharkhand president Babulal Marandi on March 28, pointing out that altogether 49 criminal cases are pending against Mahto, out of which he has been convicted in four cases by the lower court.
“Once raising the voice against the mafia, Dhullu has himself become synonymous with Mafiosi in Dhanbad,” alleged Agarwal in his letter to Marandi.
He also charged that Mahto is also accused of “spitting venom on caste lines against some people”.
Addressing party leaders on Saturday, Mahto said, “I am a devotee of Lord Ram and will work for the poor. All the allegations against me are related to the fight and struggle for the common people.”
“If any of the charges are proved against me, I will take voluntary retirement from politics,” said Mahto, adding that the guarantee of security for everyone and development will be his priority after victory, as it is now as MLA.
Supporting Mahto, Leader of the Opposition Amar Bauri said, “We will win the Dhanbad Lok Sabha seat by over 8 lakh votes.”
Similar sentiments were expressed during the meeting held in Dhanbad, during which Dhanbad MP PN Singh, MLA Raj Sinha, and others were present.
Meanwhile, Agarwal on Saturday said the views expressed against Mahto in the letter sent to the party state president Marandi were his personal opinions but regretted using the letterhead of Zila Marwari Sammelan, of which he is the president.
Talking to Hindustan Times, Agarwal said, “A meeting of Dhanbad Zila Marwari Sammelan was held under my presidency yesterday, during which it was decided not to use the organisation’s letterhead while expressing our personal views. I regretted the use of the letterhead while expressing my personal views to Babulal Marandi ji.”
However, he added, “I stand by my personal views expressed on March 28 but dissociate the organisation from my views as the organisation comprises different individuals who have different party allegiances.”