Forty-four-year-old Gopal Krishna Patar’s moment of glory came on Thursday when he defeated Chief Minister Shibu Soren in the Tamar (ST) bypoll held on January 5. Earlier, this seat was held by two former ministers, Congress’s Kali Charan Munda in 1995 and JD(U)’s late Ramesh Singh Munda in 2000 and 2005.

Although Patar’s educational background is not known, he is an accused out on bail facing a criminal case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including an attempt to murder in Jamshedpur. But in Tamar, where he lives with his family, he is called Raja Peter and is popular.

He contested the Tamar seat for the first time in 2000 as an Independent. He again contested the same seat as an Independent. But he lost both times. He remained in public life and led many agitations. Now, he is the first from his tribe (Patar) to become an MLA from Tamar.

Before the Jharkhand Party floated by Independent MLA Enos Ekka endorsed him as his nominee, Patar had filed two sets of applications before the Election Commission: one, as an Independent and another as the JP’s candidate. This he had done because he was not sure if Ekka, who was Soren’s Cabinet colleague, would continue to back him. Since Ekka stood his ground and Soren dismissed him last month, Peter preferred to be a JP candidate.

In his nomination papers he declared he had a plot of land worth Rs 60,000, an Ambassador car purchased on loan acquired from the Tata Motors, 200 gms of gold and a deposit of Rs 15,000 in his bank account.

... contd.