Ranchi: A jittery INDIA bloc in Jharkhand accused the BJP of plotting and using unfair means ahead of the June 18 Rajya Sabha election after the saffron party offered its support to industrialist Parimal Nathwani, who filed his nomination papers as an independent from the state on Monday.The entry of Nathwani, a two-time Upper House member from Jharkhand and an outgoing RS member from Andhra Pradesh, turned the fight for two seats into a triangular contest and opened possibilities of horse-trading and cross voting.Nathwani, who also met CM Hemant Soren and sought his support on June 6, said, “Jharkhand has been my ‘karmabhoomi’ as I served two terms from here and everyone knows the kind of work which I had done. I do not want to get into statistics, but I know that I will get support from all parties based on my work. The BJP has supported. I also met the CM to seek his support. I am now seeking the same from Congress and the MLAs of other parties.”JP backed Nathwani ahead of Gourav Vallabh, who had purchased nomination papers last week. Explaining the party’s decision, BJP’s state president Aditya Sahu said, “Even though we thought of fielding a candidate earlier, we decided not to after deliberations as we do not have the numbers for a win. It is also because BJP is against any kind of horse-trading tactics. Nathwani, an independent candidate, sought support from us and we did. As an independent, he will surely seek support from others but that is not our look out.”Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate Baidyanath Ram and Congress candidate Pranav Jha filed their papers on Monday, in what the INDIA bloc assumed would be an easy sail to the finish line with 56 MLAs in their kitty.“The numbers are in favour for both candidates of the INDIA bloc. But the BJP showed its true colours again. Despite the NDA camp not having the numbers, they are trying to seek an entry through the back door. Bags of money have reached their industrialist friends, and they will now try all tricks,” Congress legislative party leader Pradeep Yadav said.Echoing Yadav’s views, AICC’s Jharkhand affairs in-charge K Raju said the BJP “wants to encourage horse trading by backing Nathwani”.RJD spokesperson Kailash Yadav also accused the BJP of trying to dupe the people of state. “BJP didn’t have any candidate but chose to resort to horse-trading once again by backing their capitalist friends,” RJD spokesperson Kailash Yadav said.JMM candidate Ram remained optimistic. “The numbers are in favour of the INDIA bloc and we are united. We will win both the seats comfortably without any ounce of doubt,” he said after filing nomination in presence of Hemant, former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and others at the Jharkhand assembly.A candidate will require 28 first preference votes for victory. While INDIA bloc is set to win one seat comfortably, the fight for the second seat will become interesting. For Congress and JMM, it will be a challenge to keep their flock intact given horse-trading allegations in the past. In 2016, JMM candidate Basant Soren lost after alleged cross voting.In 2012, the Election Commission countermanded the RS election for two seats in Jharkhand after the income tax department recovered Rs 2.15 crore in cash from a car linked to an independent candidate’s relative. The CBI later searched several MLAs across the parties.INDIA bloc has 56 MLAs, including 34 from JMM, 16 from Congress, four from the RJD and two from CPI (ML) Liberation. NDA has 24 MLAs, including 21 from the BJP and one each from the LJP (Ram Vilas), Ajsu Party and the JD(U). Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha has one MLA.
