human bomb? A BSF jawan frisks an elderly voter with a metal detector at a polling station in Sargeya village during the Tamar by-election on Monday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Tamar (Ranchi), Jan. 5: Amid a tight security net cast by BSF and CRPF men and an “unofficial go-ahead” from local Maoist leader Kundan Pahan, Tamar’s crucial bypoll passed off peacefully today with 58 per cent voting to determine the fate of chief minister Shibu Soren.

While supporters of the three main rivals — the JMM, NDA’s Vasundhara Devi and Jharkhand Party (Anosh)’s self-styled Robin Hood, Raja Peter — alleged rigging by opponents, it was a blessing that the election passed off peacefully on a day that saw heightened Naxalite activity elsewhere in the state.

The battle has been neck and neck and results are expected by the afternoon of January 8. A sort of mini-referendum on the state of affairs in Jharkhand, the bypolls will see Soren’s UPA coalition government crumble if he fails to win.

On the other hand, if the JD(U) candidate, Vasundhara, fails to prove her point, an impression will gain ground that the mighty NDA’s future in the state was uncertain.

The Tamar constituency is divided into three pockets — Bundu saw the highest turnout of 68 per cent, Arki 56 per cent and Tamar 50 per cent. Bundu sub-divisional officer A.K. Poddar, who is also returning officer, maintained the average poll percentage was over 58.

Voters’ enthusiasm was indicative from the morning. At a booth in Sargeya village of Arki block, 153 out of the 689 voters had cast their vote by 11 am. The remaining waited patiently for their turn.

The area is a Maoist stronghold. The charred ICICI Bank vehicle that was looted of Rs 5 crore was found a few kilometers away from here. But today, democracy reigned supreme and the rule of law prevailed at the booths.

“So long we are here, we will not let anything go wrong,” boasted BSF assistant commandant A.K. Pal.

At S.S. High School in Bundu, where former MLA Ramesh Singh Munda was gunned down around five months ago, there were two booths. More than 60 per cent voters cast their ballots by 1.30pm. “In fact, we didn’t expect voting to pass off so peacefully,” commented the returning officer. Soren was stopped by security personnel at a polling station in Arki. He was let in only after he showed his ID.

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