‘Bangladeshi infiltration’, corruption, cash schemes dominate Jharkhand election campaigns

Neither the NDA nor the INDIA bloc have announced the names of candidates in the fray yet; State BJP chief Babulal Marandi said the party will soon release names of the NDA’s candidates

As Jharkhand prepares for polling in two phases, the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with their respective allies, are trying to attract voters on issues that have been in the public domain for quite some time now. Issues that are expected to dominate in the forthcoming election include alleged ‘infiltration’ by Bangladeshi nationals, corruption charges against the Hemant Soren government, and the face-off between the JMM and the BJP over a monthly cash transfer scheme.

Though voting patterns can differ in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the INDIA (Indian National Inclusive, Developmental Alliance) bloc’s morale in Jharkhand is high as the group bettered its performance in this year’s General Election, winning five out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats, when compared with 2019. The five months that Chief Minister Hemant Soren spent in jail in an alleged money laundering case does not appear to have helped the BJP, which lost all five Scheduled Tribes (ST reserved) Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 election, in a State dominated by tribal communities.

The most contentious issue the BJP has been raising for several months, long before Mr. Soren was jailed, is an alleged decline in the tribal population in Santhal Pargana due to “infiltration” by Bangladeshis and Rohingyas. The issue gained momentum after the Jharkhand High Court ordered the State government to form a committee to identify illegal immigrants in the State.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J.P. Nadda and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have all accused Mr. Soren of sheltering infiltrators, terming him the biggest obstacle to Jharkhand’s progress. “The women of the State have been cheated by the Soren government. No developmental work is being carried out and only scams are going on. Infiltrators are getting shelter in Jharkhand,” senior BJP leader and former CM Arjun Munda said.

The ruling JMM, however, has not taken the issue seriously, and has repeatedly blamed the Centre for not releasing funds that are due to Jharkhand. Mr. Soren has accused the BJP-led Central government of fabricating a false case against him.

In another setback for the Soren government, serving Congress Minister Alamgir Alam was arrested and sent to jail in an alleged ‘commission scam’ after the Enforcement Directorate recovered ₹35 crore from premises linked to officials of his department.

Amid the tussle between the State and the Centre, former CM and senior JMM leader Champai Soren quit the JMM and joined the BJP, accusing Mr. Soren of humiliating and insulting him. Question paper leaks and the deaths of 15 aspirants during a recruitment drive for excise constables also provided the Opposition opportunities to corner the Soren government.

In recent times, both the JMM and the BJP have indulged in a tug of war over the State government’s monthly cash transfer scheme. First, Mr. Soren launched the Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana under which eligible women between 18 to 50 years receive ₹1,000 per month. The BJP then announced it would launch a ‘Gogo-Didi Yojana’ providing eligible women ₹2,100 per month if voted to power. To counter this, the Jharkhand Cabinet on Tuesday hiked the amount provided under the ongoing scheme from ₹1,000 to ₹2,500.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the BJP’s in-charge for the Jharkhand election, with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as the co-in-charge, slammed Mr. Soren for launching the scheme with the Assembly election in mind.

Also read | NDA allies AJSU to get 9-11 seats, JD(U) 2 seats in Jharkhand, says Himanta Biswa Sarma

With polling scheduled in less than a month, these issues have featured prominently in the campaign rallies of both sides.

Neither the NDA nor the INDIA bloc have announced the names of candidates in the fray yet. All eyes are on some of the key Assembly constituencies, where ‘VIP candidates’ will contest.

Candidates who are widely expected to retain their seats include Mr. Soren (from Barhait), his wife Kalpana Soren (Gandey), his younger brother Basant Soren (Dumka), Saryu Roy (Jamshedpur East), Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Rabindra Natha Mahato (Nala), the lone Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Satyanand Bhokta (Chatra), Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Amar Kumar Bauri (Chandankiyari), former Chief Minister Champai Soren (Saraikela), All Jharkhand Students Union President Sudhesh Mahato (Silli), and State BJP president Babulal Marandi (Dhanwar).

“The BJP is always ready for the election. We have already made our preparations and soon we will announce the names of the candidates,” Mr. Marandi told reporters in Ranchi.

Also read | Congress to contest Jharkhand polls as part of JMM-led alliance, BJP says confident of forming government

“We are not afraid of the polls and we are all ready to enter the battle. The people of the State gave us blessings last time and once again they will do so. We are getting a great response from the Samman Yojana,” leader of the Congress Legislative Party in the Jharkhand Assembly, Rameshwar Oraon, said.

Mr. Soren on October 15 posted a message on social media platform X, reminding the Central government to release dues of ₹1.36 lakh crore pending from coal companies operating in Jharkhand. “This outstanding amount is our right from the Centre. Jharkhand is not asking for a special state [status] or a special budget. We are just asking for our rights, which we will get under any circumstances,” Mr. Soren said.

Published - October 16, 2024 12:38 am IST