Ghatshila bypoll: People want change, NDA victory certain, says AJSU chief Sudesh Mahato

Ghatshila (Jharkhand), Oct 19 (PTI) AJSU Party president Sudesh Mahato on Sunday said people of Ghatshila are looking for a change and are determined to oust the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) coalition, which he alleged has failed to deliver on all fronts.

Addressing a booth-level conference of party workers as the chief guest here, Mahato said the victory of NDA candidate Babulal Soren, son of BJP MLA and former Chief Minister Champai Soren, was "certain".

JMM has fielded Ramdas Soren's elder son Somesh.

AJSU Party is a partner of the NDA in Jharkhand.

The November 11 Ghatshila bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting JMM MLA and Education Minister Ramdas Soren in Delhi on August 15.

Hitting out at the Hemant Soren-led government in the state, Mahato accused it of encouraging illegal mining of minerals like coal and sand, and widespread corruption over its six-year tenure.

"People don't even have the right to question the government as democracy has been replaced by a monarchy-like system," Mahato alleged, adding that the state's Information Commission had been made ineffective.

Claiming that Jharkhand is lagging behind in development, Mahato alleged the present government has disrupted social harmony.

"The practice of extortion will end only if the NDA is voted to power," he added.

Babulal Soren said the AJSU Party played a pivotal role in the struggle for a separate Jharkhand state.

"AJSU launched the movement, and BJP turned that dream into reality," he said, expressing confidence in defeating the INDIA bloc’s nominee.

Former minister Ramchandra Sahis urged party workers to reach out to every village to mobilise support for the NDA.

Meanwhile, residents of Bankai village under Musabani block threatened to boycott the bypoll over demands for construction of large culverts on an under-construction road.

Villagers staged a demonstration on Sunday near a culvert, raising slogans such as "No culvert, no vote".

Speaking to PTI over phone, local resident Ramsingh Biruli said: “The 12-km stretch from Digri Mode to Kotapatak via Bankai is under construction, but only small culverts are being built. These get submerged during the monsoon, cutting off access to over a dozen villages." A district official said the administration had assured villagers that a revised estimate for larger culverts was under consideration by the department concerned. PTI BS MNB