RANCHI: The state of Jharkhand is inching closer to state assembly elections. A team of the Election Commission has already arrived in the state on a two-day visit to review preparedness ahead of the assembly polls. The ECI officials during their visit will interact with all the stakeholders including the political parties after which they are expected to take a call on the dates of assembly polls.
The visit of the ECI delegation has arrived at a time when the political temperature of the state has already been on a rise, given both the opposition and the ruling alliance have already commenced their poll campaign. Where while the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched ‘Parivartan Yatra’, the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has replied with commencement of ‘Maiya Samman Yatra’.
Addressing a gathering in Khunti constituency, Assam’s Chief Minister and co-incharge of BJP for the state assembly polls, Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday once again reiterated that “the BJP will sent back every single illegal infiltrator from the state if voted to power.”
“The truth is that the JMM-Congress government is not taking any action against the infiltrators due to their religion. The population of the tribal community is decreasing day by day in Jharkhand. As soon as the BJP government is formed, all the infiltrators will be thrown out of the state,” remarked the Assam’s CM.
Parivartan Yatra is for securing Maati, Beti & Roti, claims BJP
Echoing Sarma’s views, Union Minister for Agriculture, Shivraj Singh Chauhan while speaking at a political meeting in Kolhan’s Bahragoda/Ghatshila vowed to throw out the Bangladeshi infiltrators from the state if the party secures a majority in the upcoming polls.
“Chief Minister Hemant Soren is busy selling Jharkhand for the politics of vote but the BJP will fight to secure “Maati, Beti and Roti” (Land, Daughters and Bread),” added Chauhan who is too the co-in charge for the party for assembly polls. Similar sentiments were also expressed by the party president, J P Nadda who after flagging off the Parivartan Yatra in Kolhan remarked that the said “This Yatra is to save the Roti, Beti and Mati.”
“This Yatra is to save our daughters, it is against those who are conspiring to occupy lands of innocent tribal brothers, it is to take resolve that those who have deceived the tribal brother will be sent behind the bars, quoted the BJP’s president.
यह परिवर्तन यात्रा झारखंड की रोटी, बेटी और माटी बचाने की यात्रा है।
-श्री @JPNadda जी, भाजपा राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष#परिवर्तन_यात्रा_झारखंड pic.twitter.com/ryGTxe67oz
— BJP JHARKHAND (@BJP4Jharkhand) September 23, 2024
Addressing another such political gathering under the ongoing Parivartan Yatra in Palamu, BJP Member of Parliament from Himanchal Pradesh, Anurag Thakur remarked that the JMM-Congress have given grave issues like Love Jihad, Land Jihad, Demographic imbalance is taking place due to Land Jihad but the Jharkhand government is not concerned with the public sentiments.
Notably, the BJP who is eyeing a comeback in power after a drought of five years has been banking on the issue such as change in demography in bordering areas due to large scale suspected illegal infiltration, allegations of corruption, employment issue, and law and order situation.
The party commenced the Parivartan Yatra on September 20 with an aim to solidify its support in the upcoming assembly election. The Yatra will conclude on October 2 after covering around 5400 km across 81 assembly segments in 24 district of the state.
Local-outsider issue and Maiyan Samman Yatra, key for JMM
Meanwhile amidst the notable campaign by the opposition leaders, particularly of the BJP, the JMM has hinted that the party will be banking on the time-tested tribal vote bank which was loyal to the party during the Lok Sabha elections even when the incumbent Chief Minister Hemant Soren was lodged in jail.
Addressing a crowd of supporters after flagging off the Maiya Samman Yatra, party MLA from Gandye constituency and wife of CM Hemant Soren, Kalpana Soren on Monday said that the previous government had considered the women as mere vote banks but the Hemant Soren’s government has commenced the Maiya Samman Yojna (A flagship scheme of the state government providing financial assistance to the women residents) for their self-reliance. “JMM is committed to honour the people and the scheme has paved way for a life with dignity for the daughters, mothers alongside empowering them economically.”
Replying to the BJP on allegation of infiltration, Land Jihad and Love Jihad, CM Soren in a separate public meeting recently remarked that the BJP people talk about infiltrators, Land and Love Jihad, they claim that the population of tribals has reduced, we would like to ask why they have not allowed the Sarna Code to be implemented? We have passed the said law in state assembly but the Centre is sitting idly on it.
Read more at: How Champai Soren’s exit could impact JMM on tribal reserved seats in assembly polls
The CM further said that political vultures are revolving over the state, there presence will intensify in coming days, these people will mislead you for votes and everybody need to be alerted from them. They have troubled us for four years, put me in jail also but I have walked out due to blessing of local tribals and ‘Moolnivasis’.
It is to be noted that earlier addressing a meeting of the party’s youth wing, JMM MLA, Sudivya Sonu sparked a row after he remarked that we will pack the outsider (leaders of BJP) and Biharis in bags and throw them out. The JMM leader had further remarked that the election will decide whether the Jharkhand will remain for the locals for the next five years or will become a pasture for the outsiders.
The remarks made by the JMM leader soon sparks a controversy prompting reactions from leaders of the BJP and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) who claimed that the statement reflects the divisive mindset aimed at creating a rift on regionalism for the sake of politics.
Notably, elections for the 81 seat state assembly are due later this year and are expected to be held in November-December, where the BJP led alliance will be up against the JMM led ruling coalition with Congress and RJD at its key allies.
