Dumri Bypoll: Babulal Marandi Accuse JMM Supporters Of Kidnapping Two BJP Workers

Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and Bharatiya Janata Party president Babulal Marandi from on Sunday alleged that two BJP workers have been kidnapped by JMM supporters ahead of the Dumri by-election. The ruling JMM refuted the allegations terming it as "baseless".

The former chief minister while addressing media here alleged that Mathura Soren and Jaiprakash Mandal have been kidnapped from Jaridih in Giridih district by JMM supporters.

Marandi also alleged that a BJP worker Nirmal Mahto was harassed by police by conducting repeated raids in the name of investigation in his private school in Nawadih of Bokaro district where some BJP workers were staying.

"JMM is scared due to increasing popularity of NDA candidate in Dumri bypoll. The state government wants to create an atmosphere of fear and influence the elections on the power of terror," Marandi was quoted as saying.

He also alleged that women in villages are being threatened of getting their ration cards cancelled if they vote for NDA.

Marandi said that it is the responsibility of the administration to conduct fair and peaceful polling. "If any untoward incident happens, the state government will be completely responsible for it," he said.

Reacting to Marandi's accusations, JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya claimed that Marandi has although alleged that two BJP workers were kidnapped, but failed to show the police complaint lodged against the incident.

The campaign for the Dumri bypoll which is going to take place on September 5 has come to an end on Sunday. Chief Minister Hemant Soren along with senior Congress leader and parliamentary affairs minister Alamgir Alam did a roadshow in the constituency and claimed that the INDIA bloc will win the bypoll, which will be a true tribute to former minister Jagarnath Mahto.

The by-election was necessitated due to the death of JMM MLA Jagarnath Mahto, the former education minister, in April. Mahto had been representing the seat since 2004.