Political ambition here is thicker than blood relations in elections
DHANBAD: The 4th assembly election in the state is witnessing a raging family wars in at least three constituencies where wife is taking on her husband, brother is fighting against his own brother, mother in-law is locking horns against her daughterin-law and uncle is contesting against his nephew.
In Giridih district’s Gandey constituency, husband and wife both are challenging each other. BJP dissident leader Sunil Yadav filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate after the party denied him ticket. His wife, Meena Devi, too has entered in the fray.
Scenario of Jharia constituency in Dhanbad is more interesting where mother-in-law, Kunti Devi, is challenging her two daughters-in-law. Ragni Singh, wife of sitting MLA Sanjeev Singh, is BJP’s candidate while her cousin sister-in-law Purnima Singh is Congress’ nominee. Kunti Devi, a former MLA is contesting election as an independent candidate to take on Ragni and Purnima. Interestingly, sitting MLA Sanjeev Singh had also filed nomination from Jharia seat but his papers were rejected on Saturday.
Similarly, in Jharia seat, Abdhesh Yadav ( RJD district president) is contesting on AJSU ticket while his uncle Yogendra Yadav is challenging him on ticket of Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (P) ticket. Both were senior leaders of RJD. When the party did not contest from Jharia seat due Grand Alliance with Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), first Abdhesh Yadav sailed over the fence and took AJSU ticket. Later Yogendra Yadav got JVM symbol.
In Mandu constituency in Hazaribagh, two own brothers are contesting on different tickets against each other. Dissident JMM sitting MLA Jaiprakash Bhai Patel this election is contesting on BJP ticket, whereas his younger brother Ramprakash Bhai Patel is challenging him on JMM ticket.
Mandu seat was strong base of JMM senior leader and Sibu Soren’s close associate Teklal Mahto , who won assembly and Lok Sabha ( Hazaribagh) both from there. After his death, JMM fielded his son Jaiprakash Bhai Patel from Mandu seat. He won in 2009 and retained the seat in 2014. However, due to differences with JMM’s Hemant Soren he left the party before election.