SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, June 14: Selection of Dhanbad District Board Chairman looks clear and BJP Baghmara MLA Dhulu Mahto has emerged as the kingmaker, leaving JMM, Congress and Marxists Coordination Committee (MCC) far behind in the race with the maximum number of members in his basket.
Dhanbad District Board has 29 members and this time, the post of chairman was reserved for women. The selection of the chairman and deputy chairman is scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday).
Sharda Devi, who has been elected from Mahuda, is likely to be the new chairman if all goes as the per strategy of Dhulu Mahto. However, despite the majority of members in his basket, the selection of the deputy chairman, which is not reserved, has become a tough nut for Mahto as his five strong supporters have staked claim on it.
Out of 29, a total of 15 members’ votes are required for the selection of the chairman. But as per the Political Pandits of the coal belt, BJP MLA Dhulu Mahto has garnered the support of 19 members and his kitty is likely to swell further with the arrival of more candidates. It is said that many members of the ruling coalition parties have switched over their loyalty to Dhulu Mahto.
Sensing political and government pressure on the elected District Board members (as Congress, JMM and MCC are also in the race to field joint candidate for the post of chairman) Dhulu Mahto sent his 19 supporters to Darjeeling by bus on June 10 to protect them from opposition parties. They will return to Dhanbad tomorrow (June 15) directly to the Collectorate to vote.
By collecting the majority of District Board members, Baghmara MLA Dhulu Mahto once again scored over his archrival- the three political stalwarts namely former minister and Congress state working president Jaleshwar Mahto, JMM MLA Mathura Prasad Mahto and MCC leader and former MLA Arup Chatterjee in the prestigious race of District Board chairman.
Just after the result of the District Board poll, leaders of Congress, JMM, MCC and AJSU had reportedly tried to put up a joint candidate for the chairman’s post to keep BJP MLA away but before they swung into action, Dhulu Mahto roped in among elected members and sent them away from Dhanbad to save them from poaching.
Last time too, Dhulu Mahto had managed to install his candidate Robin Gorai as the chairman of the District Board. Robin Gorai fielded his wife Anita Gorai from his seat in this election as the chairman’s post was reserved for women. Anita Gorai lost the District Board poll and Robin Gorai, who contested for Mukhiya post, also lost the election.
