VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, June 13: The Jharkhand Congress is skeptical about the possible fallout of Friday violence on the poll prospect of the party in the Mandar assembly by-election.
Two died and several others were injured in the police firing on June 10 on the Mahatma Gandhi Road after a strong mob attacked police and the nearby religious places.
The protest was called against the alleged uncivil remarks of BJP’s Nupur Sharma against the Prophet.
The by-election is scheduled for June 23 and the Congress has fielded Shilpi Neha Tirkey who is the daughter of former minister Bandhu Tirkey. Mandar has been the stronghold of Bandhu Tirkey who joined the Congress after the JVM merged with the BJP.
Muslim voters who are around 75,000 and 25000 Christian voters are the deciding factor in Mandar who traditionally voted for Bandhu Tirkey. But the police firing has left Muslim voters exasperated and annoyed with the JMM-Congress-RJD combine.
A senior Congress leader said that they are assessing the mood of voters, especially the Muslim community after the incident.
“It will be simplistic to say that this incident will have no impact on the poll prospects of the Congress. Muslims have traditionally voted for the Congress. But we are watchful. Let the investigation takes place,” said the leader. The leader said that the party has already started corrective measures to soothe Muslim voters who are angry over the police firing.
What worries the Congress is the presence of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in the fray. Former MLA Deo Kumar Dhan is contesting as the candidate of the AIMIM. The Congress fears that the Muslim votes may fall into the kitty of the AIMIM.
“If Muslims consider the AIMIM as an alternative to the Congress and Bandhu Tirkey then the contest will be very tough. But despite that Bandhu Tirkey will ensure his daughter wins. This is because of the reasons that Bandhu Tirkey has cultivated a personal support base,” said a local political observer.
But the Congress leaders are not oblivious about the electoral rise of the AIMIM in Mandar. In the 2019 assembly election, Shishir Lakra of the AIMIM had netted around 24000 votes.
The AIMIM will leave no stone unturned to make electoral gain out of the anger of Muslim voters and the Congress is aware that the riot has placed the Congress in an uncomfortable position. It has no logical argument to explain the minority about the action of the police.
“Bandhu Tirkey never liked Muslims voting for AIMIM. There were instances when he taunted some Muslims asking for his help. He reportedly told them to seek help from the leader of Hyderabad whom they voted for. Recently an anti-encroachment drive took place at Chanho Bazaar. All these things left Muslims annoyed. This will have a repercussion in the by-election,” said another resident of Mandar.
