Former Maoist leader in the fray holds key to Palamu’s outcome

Ranchi: Palamu Lok Sabha constituency with parts of it bordering three states — Bihar, Chhatisgarh and Uttar Pradesh — has often thrown surprising results giving opportunity to seven different political outfits since the time first elections were held in 1952. This time, the contest is all set to be bipolar between NDA’s Vishnu Dayal Ram and INDIA bloc candidate, Mamta Bhuinya contesting on RJD symbol but the entry of former MP and a former Maoist leader Kameshwar Baitha on Bahujan Samaj Party ticket has created some uncertainty.

People in the constituency continue to struggle with unemployment and poor agriculture due to lack of irrigation facility in the rain shadow region. It was because of abject poverty and limited resources of living that the region served a fertile ground for Left-wing extremism since unified Bihar days. On one hand, big landlords and rulers of yesteryear continue to influence the social strata and on the other, class struggle spearheaded by Maoists also influences decision making of the masses.Interestingly, of the nine candidates in the fray, former director general of police Vishnu Dayal Ram, the sitting BJP MP, would be challenged by former Maoist leader Kameshwar Baitha who represented the constituency in 2009 on a JMM ticket. With time, Baitha lost popular support and could not make it to the top three list in 2014 election when he contested on a TMC ticket.During both the previous elections in 2019 and 2014, it was the RJD candidate that finished second but the winning BJP candidate managed to improve the victory margin by around 13% vote share.While Ram is facing anti-incumbency, RJD, too, decided to change the face and has fielded Mamta Bhuinya, a first-timer in parliamentary elections and also a newcomer in the Lalu Prasad-led party that champions the cause of Yadav and dalit voters. Binko Toppo, mukhiya of Tehri panchayat in Garhwa district, which comes under Palamu PC, said the JMM-led state government freed the area from Maoist dominance and has provided drinking water to the remotest of places. “Ration and pension have helped people in getting two square meals and hunger deaths are no longer heard,” she said. She, however, underlined the need for employment for youth and irrigation for farmers, issues that are yet to be addressed.The recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his guarantee of housing for poor along with slogan of “Jai Shri Ram” has worked wonders with a section of society but his silence on unfulfilled promise of Mandal dam scheme for providing irrigation facility has also irked a few.