Simon’s candidature may cost Congress dearer

Simon’s candidature may cost Congress dearer
Santanu Saraswati
Dumka, May 10—A multinational soft drink giant’s advertisement campaign has suddenly became very popular in Dumka or at least for the disenchanted Congressmen—“Jor ka jhatka dhirese lagey”. The advertisement campaign became popular when the party decided to field none other than the vice-president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Simon Marandi, for the thirteenth Lok Sabha by-polls from Dumka. What the Big B and Chotey Miyan—Govinda—said for the promotion of the soft drink, the common Congress party workers have started saying in repentance. About a large section of party workers, unhappy with the decision of fielding Simon, this time, think his candidature will cost the party much dearer this time.“The man who was with the JMM for the last 35 years and was holding a key organizational post should not be given party tickets from Dumka, if the Congress high command really wants us as the main Opposition in the State,” said a front ranking party worker on the basis of anonymity.“What he will tell his voters when he neither resigned from the JMM, nor being sacked by the party chief for anti-party activity?” asked Gopeshwar Prasad Jha, vice-president, district Congress committee. Jha thinks it will rather send a wrong signal to the party workers and encourage rebellion inside the organization, which would ultimately lower down the prospect of Congress wining this election. Simon, according to some party workers, has joined the Congress only for minting money from this election. “The party could field some other candidate who can give some fight against the JMM. Simon’s candidature will ultimately sail Gurujee through victory and crush party’s anti-communal character,” they observed.For strengthening Opposition unity in the State for routing out the Babulal Marandi Government, there should have been a consensus candidate. But fielding a candidate like Simon, who is involved in thousands of mal-practices starting from illegally leasing out 2000 acres of tribal land in Amrapara block of Pakur district to business magnet and son of ex-West Bengal Chief Minister, Jyoti Basu—Chandan Basu—for a hefty kick-back not only blotted his political career but has also made a deep scar in tribal mind, thinks local political observers. Simon’s misrule and misappropriating MP fund has already became a common issue of discussion among the electorates.According to common party workers, Simon who fought for tribal empowerment and ended up with empowering himself will ultimately divide the minority vote bank of the Congress, this time. Tabrez Khan and Hilal Ansari—the two Muslim clerics who literally decide where the Muslim should vote to defeat the “communal” BJP were seen with the “Prince of Jharkhand” and son of JMM supermo, Durga Soren. It is also learnt from a party insider, close to Jamtara MLA, Furkan Ansari, a big chunk of minority voters who were committed towards the party have already started turning their faces towards the JMM for fielding Simon. In the last Lok Sabha polls, the JMM candidate Rupi Soren Kisku received only seven per cent Muslim votes from Jamtara. But this time, this percentage could rise to more than triple because of Simon’s candidature, Khan observed. EOM.
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