Cong may opt for veteran to take on BJP in Ranchi Lok Sabha seat

Ranchi: Five-time MP Ram Tahal Choudhary’s entry into Congress a few days ago is set to intensify the tussle within the grand old party for naming a candidate for the Ranchi Lok Sabha seat.
However, party insiders on Saturday claimed that veteran leader and three-time MP-cum-former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay is, in all likelihood, going be the INDIA bloc’s choice for this constituency.
After being denied ticket in the 2019 polls, Ram Tahal deserted BJP to contest as an independent candidate but failed to make an impact. His aligning with Congress just before the polls is no guarantee of his candidature from Ranchi seat, party sources have said.
A senior office bearer of the state Congress unit said, “Subodh bhaiyya will be Congress’s candidate for Ranchi seat. While we welcomed Ram Tahalji with opened hands considering his long political stature, we had made it clear that candidature shouldn’t be his condition for joining us.”
Another Congress party member added, “He (Ram Tahal) is in his mid-80s. He wants to establish his son in politics before hanging his boosts and hence, his allegiance to Congress now is being viewed as an attempt to explore space for his ward in the assembly polls.”
State party president Rajesh Thakur, however, said the candidates for the remaining seats from Congress quota is expected to be announced next week.
Earlier this week, Congress named candidates for three seats — Khunti, Lohardaga, and Hazaribag.
On the expected tussle for Ranchi seat among the two heavyweight ‘netas’, Thakur said, “The party high command will take a call.”
He clarified that seeking ticket couldn’t be the sole criteria for joining Congress. “Many have joined us in recent days only because they want to fight BJP to safeguard democracy and its virtues in the country,” he opined.
Meanwhile, Ram Tahal returned from Delhi on Saturday and garlanded the statues of Birsa Munda at Birsa Chowk, Nirmal Mahato at Jail More, and few others at Booty More and Ormanjhi before heading back home.
He was supposed to hold a roadshow but the administration denied permission.
Speaking to TOI, Ram Tahal expressed hope of being able to fight from Ranchi seat. “There are 90% chances of me fighting. My talks with the party high command was positive,” he said. Asked if he would shun Congress if ticket is denied, he remarked, “I don’t want to think negative at this juncture.”
Congress’s Subodh Kant didn’t respond to repeated calls made by the TOI. His aides in Ranchi claimed that he has set up a war-room at his residence located in Dhurwa a few months ago and employed educated youths for poll preparedness.
Ranchi goes to polls on May 25.