Now, Ajsu-P will contest West Bengal panchayat polls, says party chief Sudesh Mahto

JAMSHEDPUR: The Ajsu-P on Tuesday said it will contest the West Bengal panchayat polls that are scheduled to take place later this year. The party has identified a handful of districts in Bengal, which are anchored on the borders of Jharkhand and host a sizeable population of tribals and Kurmis, which are likely to back the Sudesh Mahto-led party, to contest the rural election.
Earlier on Monday morning, Mahto, who is also the MLA from Silli, said his party will contest panchayat polls in Purulia, Bankura, Mednipur and adjoining districts (referring to Jhargram and Birbhum) and the decision was taken during the central committee meeting of the party at Chandil here.
The meeting on Monday was attended by the party’s MP Chandra Prakash Choudhary, his wife and newly elected MLA from Ramgarh, Sunita Choudhary, another legislator Lambodar Mahato apart from other top Ajsu-P leaders.
Mahto further said his party will increase its political activities in neighbouring Odisha and announced to hold the state committee mahadiveshan in Odisha in May this year. The party will also hand over some responsibilities to its leaders ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election to improve its fortunes in Jharkhand, the Ajsu-P chief said.
Notably, the party fought in one seat of the West Bengal assembly during the neighbouring state’s election in 2021 in alliance with BJP. Ajsu-P candidate Ashutosh Mahato contested for the Baghmundi seat in the Purulia district of Bengal and bagged 61,436 votes, which translates to 37% of the vote share, and became the first runner-up.
Bolstered by the win of his party candidate, Sunita Choudhary, in the Ramgarh by-election held earlier this month, Mahto also said his party will intensify their movement against the JMM=led grand alliance government in the state.
In a press statement released in Ranchi on Tuesday, the party announced a slew of political activities in the state from April to counter the Hemant Soren-led government over various issues. It will hold ‘Nyay March’ across all districts on April 13, the statement said.
“The protest march will be against the non-implementation of recruitment rules, domicile policy and caste-based census among other promises made by the government before coming to power,” the statement said, adding that it has also planned various activities throughout April to strengthen the party base ahead of next year’s polls.