Jamshedpur, August 18: Chandrabhan Prasad, General Secretary of Telco Workers Union recorded a convincing victory over his rival Shatrughan Singh at the Telco Workers Union election which concluded inside the Tata Motors premises on Tuesday.
Prasad defeated Singh by a margin of 10 votes as the former received 19 votes while latter got 9 votes. Soon after Chandrabhan’s victory his supporters started screaming with joy and the whole atmosphere was changed into Holi celebrations as supporters played with gulal just next to the counting centre.
Some even burst crackers but outside the company premises and it seemed like Deepawali might have arrived three months earlier. Chandrabhan was garlanded with flowers and his supporters carried him on their shoulders.
Cheerful Chandrabhan, who held the post of General Secretary in the Telco Workers Union two times previously, talking to the media after the victory said, “We will form the union and I’m 100% sure of returning to the post.
Opposition members who were talking about Parivartan have been curtailed and thrown out. Most of our team members have won the election and in the next couple of days the picture will be clear”, Prasad added. Chandrabhan casted his vote in booth No.35, the same booth were Shatrughan casted his vote.
Uma Mahato, Director of DRDA said that the voting was peaceful and there were no reports of violence.
Earlier in the day, voting started at 9 in the morning while several employees were seen at the booths before the schedule time.
In several booths 100 % voting was recorded within an hour of start time. DC Dr. Amitabh Kaushal, Returning officer cum project director Parmeshwar Bhagat, JNAC Special Officer Deepak Sahay others inspected the booths in the morning and left the company premises at around 12.30 pm.
Constant rain all through the morning couldn’t hamper the spirits of voters as they came out in large number to cast their votes and even queued up before the schedule time to vote. Communication hall near the General Office gate of the company was made the counting centre.
As the clock turned 3, the start time for counting of votes 239 candidates vying for 86 posts in the executive committee of the union were made to enter the counting hall.
At the event DC ordered for checking of mobile phones and the police officials recovered several mobile phones and kept it under its surveillance.
To prevent mismanagement at the venue, Electoral Officer called for counting of votes in two rounds. First round counting started at 3.10 pm and ended at 4.15 pm while second round started at 4.30 pm and concluded at 5.15 pm.
Later in the day, DC Dr. Amitabh Kaushal announced that Special Members/Honorary members will be elected on Wednesday, August 19.
Nomination will be done from 10 am to 11 am, scrutiny 11 to 11.30 am, withdrawal from 11.30 to 12 noon and final candidate list will be published after 12 noon.
DC further said that 22 Office bearers of the union will be elected on Thursday, August 20.