Ranchi, Dec. 1: Former science and technology minister and Ajsu candidate Chandra Prakash Choudhary is once again trapped in a multi-cornered contest in Ramgarh with 18 candidates in the fray, 10 of them Independents.

Though CPI candidate Mangal Odhra is widely considered Choudhary’s main rival, candidates from BJP, JMM, BSP, Congress, Trinamul Congress and Jharkhand Party too are adding to the numbers.

Surrounded by forests, coal mines and industries, Ramgarh Assembly constituency's demography is a bit complex. Mahto voters here play the decisive role. It was also once a CPI stronghold, thanks to the influence of trade unions. JMM and Congress too enjoy a sizeable support base.

The CPI has made the going tough for every winning candidate since 1977. The JMM won the seat in 1980, only to have it snatched by the Congress in 1985. The JMM avenged its defeat in 1990. Then, CPI won it in 1995 and 2000. The seat fell vacant in 2001, following the death of its representative and was won by the then chief minister Babulal Marandi of BJP in the subsequent by-elections.

Marandi was not a member of the state Assembly when he became chief minister on November 15, 2000. The Ramgarh electorate thus helped him enter the House. But Marandi apparently never cared much for the seat and contested from Koderma Lok Sabha constituency in 2004.

Ajsu’s Choudhary won the seat in 2005 after defeating his CPI rival by a comfortable margin. After becoming MLA, he supported the NDA government and became a minister in the Arjun Munda cabinet.

After the fall of the Munda government in 2006, he became a minister in the Madhu Koda cabinet. In the new regime, he not only retained his earlier science and technology portfolio, he also headed the drinking water and sanitation departments. While Ajsu chief Sudesh Mahto sat in the Opposition, Choudhary enjoyed the privileges of power by siding with Koda. The Ajsu, however, did not take stern measures against him.

In his capacity as minister, Choudhary helped Ramgarh get a district tag and also facilitated setting up of an engineering college in the constituency. But he angered his men for allegedly neglecting the drinking water and sanitation schemes. He is alleged to have amassed a huge fortune, grossly disproportionate to his known sources of income. A petition demanding a CBI probe into Choudhary’s assets is pending before the high court.

Earlier this year, he contested the Hazaribagh Lok Sabha seat and was reportedly ahead of all his rivals in the Ramgarh Assembly segment. Hence, it is widely believed that his popularity among the masses of Ramgarh remains unaffected despite all misgivings. Sudesh Mahto’s hectic campaigning and division of votes among rivals in the fray will only help him.