Violence, Owaisi add to Cong woes in Mandar bypoll

Ranchi: With campaigning for the upcoming Mandar byelection on June 23 gradually picking up steam, last Friday’s violence in Ranchi and police firing in which two Muslim youths were killed, is likely to have a bearing on the electorate.
The ruling Congress, which is in the fray to retain the seat, is wary about further polarisation leading to a split in its Muslim vote base with sentiments of this community running against the incumbent coalition government which it is running with JMM and RJD. Opposition BJP has already began raking up the violence by accusing the Hemant Soren government of orchestrating the violence.
On June 19, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi is also expected to visit Ranchi to meet family members of the two victims and campaign in favour of BJP rebel Dev Kumar Dhan, who is fighting as an independent candidate but is now backed by Owaisi’s party.
Bypoll in Mandar has been necessitated after the disqualification of Bandhu Tirkey following his conviction in a disproportionate assets case. Congress has now fielded Tirkey’s daughter Shilpi. BJP is banking on its former MLA Gangotri Kurju, whom the party denied a ticket in 2019 polls from this seat despite winning in 2014. Upset with BJP’s choice over candidate, Dhan, whom the saffron camp fielded in 2019 replacing Gangotri, rebelled and filed nomination as an independent candidate.
Congress insiders are of the view that Mandar seat may be a tightrope walk for its candidate. “The recent violence has dented the party’s confidence which it had about clinching the seat until Friday. The firing in which two Muslim youths were killed has fuelled resentment among a large section of the community against our government. But we are hoping that tribals and tribal Christians, who too form a large voter base, will stay intact,” said a veteran Congressman. “While Muslims will not favour BJP, AIMIM may play spoilsport if it polarises voters. It can’t be ignored given the fact that AIMIM was in third spot in the last elections despite fielding a lesser known candidate,” a Congress worker added.
State Congress president Rajesh Thakur, however, sounded optimistic of their candidate’s victory. “Bandhuji is a stalwart leader. The wave is clearly in our favour,” he said.