BJP will lose due to Raghubar Das, may not win more than 15 seats in Jharkhand: Saryu Rai

JAMSHEDPUR: Rebel BJP leader Saryu Rai on Tuesday said Chief Minister Raghubar Das will cause damage to the BJP in this assembly election. "Due to Raghubar Das, the party will lose. BJP`s slogan is to get over 65 seats, but in today`s situation it would be a great achievement if they cross even the mark of 15," Rai told ANI.

"There are 30 departments in Jharkhand government. Out of 30, he has kept 16 creamy departments with him. It is impossible for a single person to run all these departments," he added.

Rai also spoke about the unresolved issue of over 86 unauthorised colonies under Jamshedpur East constituency, the constituency won by the Chief Minister five times. According to him, the Chief Minister has been exposed several times on the ground of corruption and that is why the people of Jharkhand don`t want him again to be their chief minister. "I even told him personally that the path he has taken up is the one chosen by Madhu Koda, and those who take up this path go to the place where Koda is right now (in jail)," added Rai.

Speaking about his decision to fight against Das from Jamshedpur East constituency independently, Rai said: "It is the people of Jamshedpur East who are fighting for me.""I never thought the situation will turn this way. I had to take the decision under special circumstances. Later the people said that I am raising their issues. I should go with them," he said.

Expressing anguish over the denial of ticket, Rai said: "I went to the party`s senior leaders for clarification, because Raghubar was saying he wouldn`t let me get the ticket. I told the party leaders that I can do any trivial thing for the party, but not at the cost of self-respect and reputation. If someone takes on my reputation, it will have reactions. I had to fight against Das because a shameful situation had emerged for me."

On November 18, Rai filed his nomination from Jamshedpur East seat as an independent candidate against Das. This seat will go to polls on December 7 along with 19 other constituencies in the second phase of the Assembly elections in Jharkhand.