'Soren's campaign won't help JMM-Congress alliance in Jharkhand'

Mahesh Poddar, BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand, has said JMM-Congress alliance has failed to perform in the state during the past past 10 months and Chief Minister Hemant Soren's campaign for by-elections would not help

New Delhi: BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand Mahesh Poddar has said that Chief Minister Hemant Soren's campaign for by-elections to two assembly seats in the state would not help the ruling JMM-Congress alliance because of anti-incumbency.

"People are not happy with the work of the state government and there's an anti-incumbency wave against the government in Jharkhand," he said in a video message here.

According to the Election Commission (EC), a total of 28 candidates are in the fray for the November 3 by-elections to two assembly seats - Dumka and Bermo - in Jharkhand.

The by-elections are expected to be a direct contest between the BJP and the ruling JMM-Congress alliance. The BJP has re-fielded its losing candidates in last year's assembly elections to the two seats.

Former state cabinet minister Lois Marandi, who had lost to JMM candidate and present Chief Minister Hemant Soren in Dumka constituency in the assembly elections, has been fielded again from the seat.

Similarly, Yogeshwar Mahato, who was defeated by Congress nominee Rajendra Prasad Singh last year in Bermo seat, has been given a ticket to the constituency.

The JMM has fielded Soren's younger brother Basant Soren as its candidate for the Dumka seat, while the Congress has given a ticket to Singh's elder son Kumar Jayamangal alias Anoop Singh to the Bermo seat.

By-elections to the two seats were necessitated after Soren vacated Dumka seat and retained Barhait constituency, while Rajendra Prasad Singh died in May.

Votes polled in the two seats will be counted on November 10.