Ranchi, February 8: Political dynasties are making headlines in the ongoing elections for 48 municipal bodies in Jharkhand. Family members of influential leaders from various major parties are stepping into the electoral arena. The husbands, wives, sons, daughters, daughters-in-law, and brothers of prominent leaders are knocking on the doors of power in these local bodies.
Voting for these bodies is scheduled for February 23, and political activity has intensified across the state. The mayoral seat in Dhanbad is generating the most discussion. Here, BJP MLA Ragini Singh’s husband, Sanjeev Singh, has entered the race. He is contesting against a BJP-supported candidate, making the competition more intriguing. The elections in the Chas Municipal Corporation are also testing political legacies.
Parinda Singh, the daughter-in-law of the late former minister Samresh Singh, is in the fray. She faces contenders like BJP leaders Ritu Rani Singh, Arvind Rai, former Congress district president Umesh Gupta, and Mohammad Sultan. The contest in Chas is becoming increasingly multifaceted.
In the Mango Municipal Corporation, the Politics of relationships is also evident. Former minister Banna Gupta’s wife, Sudha Gupta, is running as a Congress-supported candidate, while former BJP city president Rajkumar Srivastava’s wife, Kumkum Srivastava, is also in the electoral battle. This is seen as a direct contest between two political families.
For the position of chairperson in the Chakradharpur Municipal Council, MP Joba Manjhi’s son, Uday Manjhi, is a candidate. Meanwhile, Vijay Gagarai, brother of MLA Dashrath Gagarai, is also in the race. In the Jamtara Nagar Panchayat, former MLA Vishnu Bhaiya’s wife, Chameli Devi, is a candidate for the chairperson position.
The influence of political legacy is also visible in the Medininagar Municipal Corporation. Here, the daughter of former minister and prominent Congress leader K.N. Tripathi, Namrata Tripathi, is contesting for the mayoral position with the support of Congress.
In Ranchi, Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Manjhi’s son, Somvit Manjhi, is running for ward councilor, aiming for the deputy mayor position, which will be indirectly elected after the councilor elections. Similarly, in Hazaribagh, BJP MLA Manoj Yadav’s brother, Vikas Yadav, has been elected unopposed as a ward councilor and is also eyeing the upcoming indirect deputy mayor election.
Clearly, the Jharkhand municipal elections this time will be remembered not only for local issues but also for the impact of political legacies and familial connections.