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Jharkhand civic polls: BJP moves to reclaim rebel winners
BJP is working to reintegrate victorious rebel candidates, like Chirkunda chairperson Sunita Devi, after municipal polls, signaling a strategic shift.
In a dramatic post-election development, the BJP has initiated efforts to bring its victorious rebel candidates back into the party fold following the recently concluded municipal polls.
On Saturday evening, a BJP delegation reached the residence of newly elected Chirkunda nagar parishad chairperson Sunita Devi. Sources indicated that the move was carried out on the instructions of the state leadership, though no official confirmation was issued.
Party leaders ceremonially draped a saffron stole around Sunita Devi and handed over the party flag, which she accepted. “Sunita Devi has always been a part of the BJP family. The people of Chirkunda have reposed their faith in her leadership,” a local BJP leader said during the visit.
Sunita Devi, who had contested the election as a rebel candidate, surprised many by securing a decisive victory. Accepting the party’s gesture, she said, “The BJP was my family, and it will continue to remain so in the future.”
According to sources, the party leadership began strategising to bring her back into its fold within hours of the declaration of results. Party’s rural district president Mohan Kumbhkar, former rural district president Ghanshyam Grover, and Chirkunda mandal president were among those present at her residence.
In the closely contested election for the post of chairperson, Sunita Devi secured 4,557 votes in a 13-cornered contest. A total of 22,545 votes were counted, of which 20,853 were declared valid and 1,692 invalid.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Raj Sinha personally visited the residence of newly elected Dhanbad mayor Sanjeev Singh to congratulate him on his victory. Sharing photographs of his visit to Singh Mansion on social media, Sinha described it as a “personal visit to congratulate my younger brother Sanjeev Singh on being elected mayor.”
Supporters of Singh also circulated photographs of the meeting, fuelling speculation about the party’s broader strategy to reunite with successful rebel leaders after the polls.
