JMM challenges Modi to hold rally in Dumka

RANCHI: As political parties in the ruling NDA and mahagatbandhan camp claimed their respective victories on all three seats which went to polls on Monday, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha ( JMM ) dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold an election rally in Dumka when the constituency goes to vote on May 19.


The fight for Dumka, an important seat in tribal bastion of Santhal Pargana, is a matter of prestige for JMM and BJP.

Dumka, from where JMM chief Shibu Soren is the MP, is a coveted prize for the BJP , for which it is putting an all-out effort.

Taking a jibe at Modi’s Monday rally in Jamua in Giridih, JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said: “It is a cheap politics on part of the BJP that the PM holds rally on election day in a neighboring constituency. He is coming to Chaibasa on May 5, a day before the neighboring Khunti goes to polls. We dare him to hold a rally in Dumka on May 19, for if he does, he will get a drubbing that he will remember forever .”

Meanwhile, the BJP, which is looking to retain Lohardaga, Chatra and Palamu constituencies this time, claimed their victory margin will increase from 2014. On the other hand, opposition parties boasted that high voter turnout in all three constituencies indicated a wind of change.

While opposition camp congratulated polling officials, policemen, volunteers and district administrations for conducting violence free polling, the BJP said peaceful polls were the result of its incumbent governments in the state and Center, which broke the back of left-wing extremism in Jharkhand.

“We are going to win all three seats which voted today. The high turnout proved that people of Jharkhand have reposed their faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his focus on development,” BJP state spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said.

The voting percentage, which stood at close to 64%, was used by Congress to strengthen its case. “High turnout indicates the people turned up in large numbers and voted out the BJP and its current, inefficient parliamentarians,” Congress spokesperson Alok Kumar Dubey claimed.

Under mahagatbandhan fold, Congress fielded candidates in Lohardaga and Chatra. RJD, which contested in Chatra and Palamu seats, also sounded confident of victory. “We thank the people of Palamu and Chatra for supporting us overwhelmingly. We will win both the seats with a record margin,” RJD’s state general secretary Kailash Yadav said in the evening.