Dhanbad, Dec. 10: JMM nominee and sitting MLA from Tundi Assembly seat Mathura Prasad Mahto lets his work do the talking.

The former state revenue and land reforms minister is not going overboard with campaigning. Instead, he is banking on the initiatives taken by him for all-round development of the area to win for the second consecutive time from the constituency that comprises Tundi and Topchanchi blocks of Dhanbad district.

Known for his down-to-earth image, Mahto is pitted against JVM veteran and former Tundi MLA Saba Ahmed (67), who is desperately seeking to avenge the humiliation of the 2009 Assembly polls when the JMM leader defeated him by a thin margin of 918 votes.

Former Sindri MLA Rajkishor Mahto of Ajsu is also in the fray as a common candidate of the BJP-led alliance.

But Mahto is confident that the power substations, health centres and educational institutions set up during his stint as an MLA are reasons enough for people of this Naxalite-hit area to ignore the anti-incumbency factor and NaMo wave and vote for him again. 'I don't need any campaign, my work does the job. I visit my constituency and meet the people as usual,' said Mahto, who had also served as the food supplies and consumer affairs minister.

Mahto claimed that all villages in Topchanchi block were illuminated and 75 per cent rural areas of Tundi block brought under the power supply coverage during his tenure.

'Altogether five substations have been set up at Raghunathpur, Logharia, Tundi, Sahubahiyar and Gomoh. Also, equipment for remaining electrification work in Tundi have already been procured and the project will be completed soon,' said Mahto.

At least, five healthcare facilities - Raghunathpur sub-health centre, Manjhaladih sub-health centre, Referral Hospital Tundi, Sahubahiyar community health centre and Subhas Chandra Bose health centre at Gomoh - came up during his time, he claimed.

Mahto, a matriculate, also played an important role in setting up a BEd college in Topchanchi, Government Polytechnic Institute in Tundi, for which bhumi pujan is over, and constructing a separate building for Industrial Training Institute in Baghmara.

But the constituency still lacks a proper industry and Mahto promised that he would work to create employment if voted again.

Tundi votes on Dec. 14