Weeks before polls, Jharkhand Congress working prez Manas Sinha defects to BJP

Sinha was a claimant for the Congress’s ticket from Garhwa district’s Bhawnathpur seat, which was allocated to the JMM as part of the ruling INDIA bloc’s seat-sharing pact

Published on: Oct 28, 2024, 10:27:34 IST

By Vishal Kant

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Manas Sinha, the Congress’s working president in Jharkhand, quit the party and joined the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday after he was denied a ticket weeks before the assembly elections in the state.

The BJP hopes to keep up the momentum of the unexpected victory in Haryana this month. (HT PHOTO)

Jharkhand BJP’s working president Ravindra Ray inducted Sinha into the party in the presence of Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the party’s co-in-charge for the state.

Sinha said he gave blood, sweat and tears to the Congress for 27 years but was now convinced that it has no respect for the party workers. “I am joining the BJP inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I am joining the BJP unconditionally,” said Sinha.

Sarma said has was with the Congress for 22 years and was aware of the situation in the party. “We will now work together to ensure the victory of the party [BJP].”

Sinha was a claimant for the Congress’s ticket from Garhwa district’s Bhawnathpur seat, which was allocated to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) as part of the ruling Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)’s seat-sharing pact.

Bhawnathpur has been a Congress stronghold with the party winning the seat seven times. Bhanu Partap Shahi, who joined the BJP in 2019, represents the seat. He is contesting against former Congress legislator Anant Pratap Deo, who is now with the JMM.

The election for the 81-member Jharkhand assembly will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20. The ruling alliance won 47 seats and formed the government in 2019.

The BJP hopes to keep up the momentum of the unexpected victory in Haryana this month even as exit polls predicted Congress’s win. It emerged as the biggest party in the Lok Sabha elections this summer In Jharkhand by winning eight of the 14 seats. The JMM bagged three, and ally Congress two Lok Sabha seats. The AJSU Party won the remaining Lok Sabha seat.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishal Kant
Stationed in Ranchi, Vishal is heading the Jharkhand Bureau of Hindustan Times since November 2017. Besides leading the reporting team, Vishal tracks and writes on developments related to the state politics, economy and policy matters in Jharkhand. Prior to his current assignment, Vishal used to work in New Delhi after graduating from the University of Delhi. Vishal joined HT in the rank of Assistant Editor in August 2015 and was part of the Delhi Metro Bureau, covering a host of issues in the City-state including politics, policy---especially those related to urban traffic & transport infrastructure and railways. A native of Palamu district in Jharkhand, Vishal started his two-decade long career in the mainstream media in 2006. During this period, he has has worked in different capacity with a number of national media houses including the Financial Chronicle, India Today, Deccan Herald and The Hindu, before moving to the Hindustan Times. He holds the experience of having worked in three major mediums of mass communication--Print, Electronic and Digital. He is a proud father of two daughters.Read More

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