‘First preference for those who voted for me’: BJP’s Dhanbad MLA sets up a row

RANCHI: Bharatiya Janata Party legislator from Dhanbad Raj Sinha has sparked off a controversy by his remarks at a public event, telling his audience that areas that supported him in elections have the first right on development projects.

“I speak very clearly. In my view, people who don’t vote for me don’t have the first right on development projects. But still, if I do 10 development works, I do at least two here and eight elsewhere. Don’t people who have made me a legislator have the first right over development work,” Sinha said at an event on Monday in the Muslim-dominated Wasseypur area of Dhanbad.

After leaders of the Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) criticised him for his approach that they alleged was aimed to polarise the city, Sinha shot back: “I don’t expect roses from the JMM and Congress”.

Sinha told local reporters on Tuesday that people of Wasseypur generally do not approach him for work but whenever they do, he does solve their problems.

On Wednesday, the minister said he stands by his statement.

“I told them they keep voting for others just to oppose the BJP even if they don’t deliver. I requested them they should join the mainstream and vote for us (BJP). What’s wrong with that? It’s not that I don’t do development work in that area. Even that day, I was in that area to inaugurate a newly-constructed road,” Sinha told HT.

Isn’t his statement contradictory to the Prime Minister and BJP’s slogan, ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas’? Sinha said this wasn’t correct since everyone has access to central schemes.

“All schemes, be it roads, free gas, free ration, free housing from the Centre are being provided without discrimination in areas like Wasseypur as well,” he said.

Leaders of rival parties, the JMM and Congress, continued their attacks on the BJP.

“Using polarisation has always been a diversionary tactic of the BJP,” said JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey, arguing that the effort to communalise was linked to the central government’s performance. “When they fail, they use communal politics. People now understand their tactics and will teach them a lesson when the time comes,” added Pandey.

Jharkhand Congress spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said BJP and its leaders claim to work for the last man standing but in practice, they discriminate.

“Otherwise, they talk of Ekatma Manawtawad (Integral Humanism professed by former Janasngh president Deendayal Upadhyay) but in practice, they discriminate on basis of religion. Earlier also BJP legislator from Ranchi targeted a specific area of the minority community for allegedly spreading Covid-19,” added Prasad.

Raj Sinha said he wasn’t bothered about criticism from his opponents but his constituents. “They need to survey what even people from minority communities have to say about me and how much work I do for them,” said Sinha.