By IANS
Ranchi : Jharkhand’s ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has cracked ahead of an assembly by-election, with the Congress fielding a candidate against one of its allies, the Communist Party of India (CPI).
The Simeria assembly constituency goes to the polls Feb 4. The seat fell vacant due to the death of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Upendra Nath Das, who died two months ago.
Keen on testing the political waters in a state where it has taken on Chief Minister Madhu Koda despite supporting the government, the Congress has decided to nominate its own candidate instead of supporting the UPA nominee.
While the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) withdrew its candidate Yogendra Baitha in favour of UPA’s and CPI’s Ramchandra Ram, the Congress has embraced Baitha as its candidate.
Ram secured the second position in the 2005 assembly election. The BJP has fielded the son of BJP’s Das to cash in on sympathy votes.
“The CPI will win the election with a thumping majority. The voters will teach a lesson to both the BJP and Congress,” said Bhuneshwar Mehta, a CPI MP from Hazaribagh.
Mehta has urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to withdraw the party candidate. But the Congress is determined to win.
Central ministers Ajay Maken and Subodh Kant Sahay are already campaigning for the Congress candidate.
According to sources in RJD, party chief Lalu Prasad is unhappy with the Congress stance in the state. He is expected to campaign for the CPI candidate.
Chief Minister Madhu Koda, an independent, and his ministers have chosen not to campaign for either the Congress or the CPI.