Dhanbad: Electoral newcomers fielded by Ajsu Party and JMM in Gomia and pitted against experienced BJP candidate Madavlal Singh are trying to convert their understanding of local issues into their strength to win people's mandate in the bypoll scheduled for May 28.
While former state administrative services officer Lambodar Mahto will try his luck as the Ajsu Party hopeful, JMM is fielding Babita Devi, wife of disqualified JMM MLA Yogendra Mahto.
Talking to The Telegraph at the guest house of Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation at Tenughat, 60km from Bokaro district headquarters, 52-year-old Mahto, said, "Born and brought up at Pari, a remote a village in Gomia, I am well aware about the basic issues affecting my constituency. Moreover, having served in various administrative posts, I have first-hand experience of how development schemes need to be implemented." He said Gomia lacked adequate doctors in hospitals, safe drinking water, proper transport system and a degree college.
Mahto said he began his career as an assistant teacher at a primary school at a remote village in Garhwa district in 1993. He worked as the labour enforcement officer at Chandwa in Latehar in 1995. His first posting as a BDO was in Basia block of Gumla district in 1997 after which he served as the BDO of several places, including Ramgarh. Mahto got elevated as the executive magistrate of Bundu in 2002, sub-divisional magistrate of Ranchi in 2009 and additional district magistrate in 2013. He was appointed as the under-secretary in the government water resources department in 2015.
"I left the job when I realised that the real development of a region could only be carried out by taking part in active politics," Mahto said.
His family comprises mother Savitri Devi (75), wife Kaushalya Devi (51), sons Yogesh Raja (20), Shashi Shekhar (24) and daughter Indu Bharti (30).
JMM candidate Babita Devi (43), a matriculate, joined politics only this year when her MLA husband Yogeshwar Mahto was disqualified after being convicted by a Ramgarh court in a coal smuggling case.
"It is not necessary to have high academic degrees to understand the concerns of common people. Even a housewife like me can play a significant role in understanding the issues faced by residents and work towards addressing them," Babita said at her Petarwar Chowk-based office, about 35km from Bokaro.
She said her husband had solved power problems during his stint as an MLA and she was looking forward to boosting medical care facilities in the area. "If I get elected, I will ensure that people don't have to rush to Bokaro or Ranchi during a medical emergency because of the lack of doctors in various community health centres in our area," she said.
Babita has four children - sons Vinay, Vipin and Raja and daughter Priyanka. All are students. "I leave home around 7am for campaigning and return at 11pm. Sometime my kids also join me as they are enjoying their summer vacation."<>Altogether 13 candidates are in the fray for the Gomia bypoll, but the main contest will be among BJP, Ajsu Party and JMM.
