SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad Jan 13: As mist over the claim of Congress on the post of Dhanbad district 20-point programme Vice-President is getting clear in the ruling coalition, leaders of the grand old party have raced up.
Sources in the district organization today said that four senior leaders of Dhanbad have emerged as front runners for the post of district twenty –point programme vice-president so far and began lobbying hard for it at Ranchi as well as in New Delhi.
A senior leader of the party said that Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) had also staked claim for the post. JMM district president Ramesh Tudu, town president Debu Mahto, senior leader and central committee member Pawan Mahto had also claimed the post. But at the ruling coalition meeting in Ranchi, the Dhanbad seat was given in Congress’s share. So, leaders of the coal belt Congress have raced up the fort.
Congress and JMM both have one assembly seat each in Dhanbad and both have equal claim for it. But as health minister Banna Gupta is the minister in-charge of Dhanbad district, it helped Congress to get the 20-point committee VP post.
Names of District President Brajendra Prasad Singh, Working President Ravindra Verma, State Working President Jaleshwar Mahto and Dhanbad District Board member Ashok Singh are making rounds in the party circles of the district.
However, senior leader Sultan Ahmed of Katras has also emerged as a dark horse in the race of district 20-point programme vice-president.
Brajendra Prasad Singh is considered a strong contender for the post as he has been the district president for more than 10 years and has a strong backing of Rashtriya Colliery Mazdoor Sangh (RCMS) as well as INTUC.
District working president Ravindra Verma, who has credit for spearheading party programmes in the region, has also backing from senior leaders at Ranchi and Delhi.
State working president Jaleshwar Mahto has also reportedly put his claim on the basis of his mass support but the labour cell of the party (RCMS) opposes him as he runs another union.
