Jamshedpur : Singhbhum Lok Sabha seat is headed for neck to neck battle between Laxman Gilua and Geeta Koda.
As per current political scenario at Singhbhum, the constituency which is reserved for the candidates belonging to the Scheduled Tribes, a neck to neck battle between BJP candidate Laxman Gilua and sitting MP�s wife Geeta Koda of Jai Bharat Samanta Party is imminent.
Singhbhum Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Jharkhand. This constituency is reserved for the candidates belonging to the Scheduled tribes. This constituency covers the entire West Singhbhum district and part of Seraikela Kharsawan district.
Singhbhum Lok Sabha constituency comprises the following six legislative assembly segments, Seraikela, Chaibasa, Majhgaon, Jaganathpur, Manoharpur, and Chakradharpur.
The total number of electorates in the Singhbhum Lok Sabha Constituency are 957,406 of which 484,836 are males and 472,570 are females. A total of 12 candidates are in fray for the coveted seat this time.
Sitting MP Madhu Koda, who is facing graft charges, has fielded his MLA wife Geeta Koda while the saffron party is banking on its Chakradharpur MLA Laxman Gilua from the Singhbhum seat. Gilua is hopeful to repeat the magic of 1999 elections in which he defeated his arch rival and Congress leader by 82311 votes.
�Singhbhum constituency has been the most neglected area of our State. Repeated Governments have failed paid heed the needs here. Like every elections, this time too the development of the area is the mail poll plank for the candidates. However the anti-incumbency is much more active this time,� noted Basant Benkura, local political analyst from Chaibasa .
He said that though all the candidates are trying hard to woo the voters but the actual fight is between BJP and Jai Bharat Samanta Party candidate. According to Benkura, Gilua has an edge over the rivals since assembly areas Chaibasa, Majhgaon, Manoharpur, and Chakradharpur are dotted with BJP supporters while his rival Koda enjoys an edge at Jagganthpur where she is the MLA.
It may be mentioned that former Congress MP from Singbhum Bagun Sumbrai, was winning the seat since 1977 continued the winning streak till 1989. He won again in 2004. Sumbrai however lost to former Chief Minister Madhu Koda and stood third in the elections with 95,433 votes only in Lok Sabha 2009.
This time the Congress Party has fielded Chiktrasen Sinku who contested from BJP in 1998 and lost to Congress�s Vijay Singh Soy.
Shankar Manjhi another poll expert said that this seat has alternated between the BJP and the Congress since 1996. He said that though it is too early predict the result but issues like CNT Act and acute drinking water crisis at villages are some main factors which have made the people to get against Koda.
Meanwhile Laxman Gilua said: �I am contesting election on my sole agenda of development. The mandate of the people will be acceptable to me. And I am confident that the people of my constituency will never disappoint me�. Geeta Koda too expressed her confidence and said that she was receiving overwhelming response from the voters and she will register her win.
