Former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Arjun Munda has replaced senior leader Kariya Munda, an octogenarian and eight times MP from Khunti Lok Sabha seat as BJP candidate from tribal seat.
The BJP Central Election Committee on Saturday evening announced the names for 10 Lok Sabha seats after marathon round meetings with BJP central leadership and State leaders including Chief Minister Raghubar Das, State BJP president Laxman Gilua, State BJP in-charge Mangal Pandey and others.
Arjun Munda replacing Kariya Munda is seen as an attempt by the State BJP to consolidate its tribal vote bank after locals’ resentment over Chotanagpur Tenancy and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act (CNT/SPT Act) in the region. Munda, who had served as Chief Minister of State from September 2010 to January 2013 had also represented Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat in 15th Lok Sabha. Arjun Munda’s closeness with Central leadership can be gauged from the fact that in the tenure of Nitin Gadkari as BJP national president, Arjun was appointed as national general secretary in 2013, a post he had resigned in 2010 after becoming chief minister of BJP led coalition Government in State.
The name of Munda was doing rounds as one of the probable candidates gained momentum after last week meeting with Munda and State BJP in-charge Mangal Pandey during the latter’s visit to Munda’s residence.
Apart from Munda, the names who found place in BJP State list are Hazaribagh MP and Union Minister of State for civil aviation Jayant Sinha, Union Minister of State for tribal welfare from Lohardaga Sudarshan Bhagat. Another sitting MPs who found place in BJP list are Jamshedpur MP Vidyut Baran Mahato. Mahato who joined BJP from JMM in 2014 months before the general elections is said to close to Arjun Munda. Sources said that in 2014, Arjun Munda played an important role in bringing Mahato to BJP fold due to support base in rural areas of Jamshedpur.
The other name whose candidature was finalized is State BJP president and Singhbhum sitting MP, Laxman Gilua, Godda MP Nityanand Dubey, former DGP and sitting MP from Palamu VD Ram and Dhanbad MP, Pashupati Nath Singh (PN Singh). For BJP, Godda is a crucial seat as there is much infighting within grand alliance partners is for the seat. JVM MLA Pradeep Yadav and Congress’ Ifran Ansari are at loggerheads for Godda seat as Irfan Ansari is demanded the Godda seat for his father Furkan Ansari who had earlier represented the seat. From two other seats of Santhal Pargana the saffron party has decided to field Hemlal Murmu from Raj Mahal and Sunil Soren from Dumka.With today’s announcement of 10 names, the BJP is to announce the names for Ranchi, Chatra and Koderma. Giridih seat has been given to former deputy chief minister Sudesh Mahto’s led AJSU party.
