BJP’s Gangotri files nomination for Mandar

Ranchi: BJP candidate Gangotri Kujur filed her nomination paper on Monday, the last date for the process, for the ensuing Mandar bypoll slated for June 23. The results of the polls will be announced on June 26. A total of 19 candidates have filed their nominations for the bypoll. The Mandar constituency is a Scheduled Tribe reserved seat.
Kujur filed her nomination in three sets of papers at the district collectorate building here in the afternoon. Kujur, an ex-MLA from Mandar between 2014-19, was accompanied by state BJP bigwigs, including former chief minister Babulal Marandi, state party chief Deepak Prakash and Ranchi MLA C P Singh among others.
The saffron party’s ally — Ajus-P chief Sudesh Mahto, too, was present on the occasion. Earlier in the day, she also held a small rally after the party workers assembled at C P Singh’s residence, about half a kilometre away from the collectorate building where the nomination process was to take place.
In the last assembly polls, BJP had denied her the ticket owing to her “alleged” disconnect with the voters. However, the party returned to her in this bypoll as it has failed to identify a suitable face to prop up. The Mandar seat fell vacant after the recent disqualification of Bandhu Tirkey for being convicted in an old disproportionate assets case.
After filing her papers, Kujur said, “The mood of the public is against the incompetent coalition government led by JMM. We will be fighting on the development plank citing how despite over two years into its tenure, the current dispensation has led to the state into anarchy and other ills such as lawlessness, lack of constructive work for tribals.”
Marandi said the bypoll will set the tone for BJP’s return to power in 2024 because of the “corrupt acts” of the incumbent regime. “The recent spree of corruption right from illegal mining to land grabs by those in power will bring the government down,” he said.