Dumka, Jan. 10: Once bitten, Shibu Soren may be ready to risk elections again. But this time, the protests in Jamtara seem too intense.

As the Tamar aftermath continues to haunt the chief minister, Congress camps across Jamtara are protesting against his proposed candidature here with the resignation of local MLA Vishnu Bhaiya. Anticipating a bypoll, Irfan Ansari, the Congress candidate from Jamtara during the last Assembly polls, has started campaigning already, leaving the villagers utterly confused.

Drummers, loudspeakers and rickshaw owners were busy praising Irfan, the son of the party’s Godda MP Furkan Ansari. He rushed to Jamtara from Ranchi last evening to start his campaigning and visited remote villages with his supporters today. Vishnu, the rebel BJP MLA who recently shifted loyalties to Soren from Babulal Marandi, resigned from the Assembly on Friday to pave the way for Guruji to try his luck the second time. Seeing Vishnu’s promptness, Irfan, too, decided to return to his home constituency — but as an adversary.

Addressing villagers in Posai, about 7km from the Jamtara district headquarters on the Jamtara-Narayanpur road, Irfan said the constituency was always considered a safe bastion for the Congress. “Like Tamar, Soren would have to bite the dust again if he contests from Jamtara,” he said.

Irfan’s campaign is keeping Vishnu’s supporters on toes. “We will reply to their (Congress) gameplan. We are working hard to ensure Soren’s victory from Jamtara,” one of the activists declared.

The tension between Vishnu and Irfan, as seen in the last Assembly polls, is visible again. Vishnu’s supporters, who were from the Marandi camp earlier, could not however give any details on their strategy.

Political observers said it was too early to comment but the clash could damage the unity in UPA.