Jharkhand BJP leader to contest against CM in assembly polls

Peeved about his name not featuring in the list of 72 candidates announced so far for the assembly polls, senior BJP leader Saryu Roy on Sunday said he will contest against Chief Minister Raghubar Das as an Independent. Roy said he will contest from the Jamshedpur (East) and Jamshedpur (West) assembly constituencies.

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Saryu Roy to contest against Raghubar Das

He had won from the Jamshedpur (West) seat in the 2014 polls. He tendered his resignation from the state Cabinet and assembly membership on Sunday evening. In a letter addressed to Governor Droupadi Murmu, Roy said he is resigning from the ministry and that it be accepted with immediate effect. Earlier in the day, Roy had said he would resign on Monday. Roy was the Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Minister in the Jharkhand Cabinet.

"I will file my nomination papers from both the assembly constituencies tomorrow," he said.

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Roy's move comes in the wake of his name not finding a place in the first four lists of 72 candidates declared by the BJP for the 81-member assembly in Jharkhand, which is going to polls in five phases between November 30 and December 20. Asked if he was taking on his own party by deciding to contest against the chief minister, he said:

"Let the BJP take action against me."

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The BJP has re-nominated Das from the Jamshedpur (East) seat, while it is yet to announce its candidate from Jamshedpur (West). The two seats will go to polls in the second phase on December 7 and the last date of filing papers is Monday. To another query on whether contesting elections from two seats would be a tall order, Roy said, "Not at all. The geography of the city (Jamshedpur), its people and issues are the same. My supporters will campaign from my home constituency, while I will concentrate on Jamshedpur (East)."

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