Unexpected turn of politics favours INDIA Bloc in Jharkhand

By Dr. Gyan Pathak

The last one week has brought such a change in Jharkhand politics that BJP has never expected. Former Chief Minister Hemant Soren is out on bail, and leading the INDIA bloc again from the front, much to the frustration of the BJP leadership. Election to the 81 member Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha is to be completed before January 5, 2025, the date on which the term of the House is to expire, which may be held sooner by 2024 end.

Hemant Soren has said he has information that BJP is planning to have Vidhan Sabha election in Jharkhand soon, but BJP’s dream of winning would remain a dream. BJP will be wiped out from Jharkhand after assembly election, he said, the next day after he got regular bail from High Court in a land scam and money laundering case, in which Enforcement Directorate had arrested him on January 31. This year There are also several other cases against him, in which he fears arrest, and hence he has become politically aggressive against BJP.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Executive Present has slammed the BJP for allegedly hatching a conspiracy against him. Addressing JMM workers , he said that there would be a “revolt against those who plotted the conspiracy” and “people of Jharkhand would not spare the BJP”. … “Time has come to put the last nail in BJP’s coffin. In coming days, the BJP will be wiped out from Jharkhand,” he said.

“It has come to my knowledge that they are making plans to prepone assembly elections … I dare them to conduct the elections any day they wish to…the BJP’s dream of winning assembly elections in Jharkhand will be ‘Mungerilal ke haseen sapne…the BJP is naming tribals as CMs in several states but they are just rubber stamps,” Soren said.

The change in political events in the state are faster than expected. INDIA bloc is getting ready for even an early election. This is why, in Wednesday’s all-party meeting of MLAs from the INDIA bloc, Soren was re-elected as their legislative party leader paving the way for his return as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, which he has resigned for facilitate his arrest by the ED in PMLA case related to land scam.

Champai Soren was then elected to the legislative party leader and the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. CM Champai has been making scathing attack on the BJP and he recently said that BJP will never allow Dalits and Adivasis, and their supporters to live in peace. It is expected that the “Jharkhand Tiger” Champai may resign for the CM post and clear the path for return of Hemant Soren in the helm of affair and enable him to “send clear message of leadership” within the JMM and also among the INDIA bloc allies.

Only two days after getting bail on June 28, Hemant Soren declared a “rebellion” against the “feudal forces”. The occasion was the Hul Day (the day of rebellion) observed to remember the Santal Rebellion of 1855 against the British rule. “On the same line of rebellion against the British, I declare “Hul Vidroh” to drive out feudal forces not only from Jharkhand but the entire country.”

It goes without saying that the moral of the JMM leaders in particular and INDIA bloc leaders in general are very high after release of Hemant Soren on bail. “There is panic in the BJP camp after my release. BJP leaders are once again ‘conspiring’ against me. I have been implicated in false cases. Central investigative agencies are being used against those who are raising their voice against the wrong policies of the government. Jharkhand is known as the land of revolutionaries and we are not afraid of jail, lathi or hanging,” Mr. Soren said. Public response among the Dalits, tribals, and minorities are very favourable for the bloc.

On the other hand, BJP is trying its best to regain its lost political ground. Even in recent Lok Sabha election 2024 the party had lost 3 seats out of 11 it had won in 2019. In the Vidhan Sabha election held in November2019, the BJP had won only 25 out of 81 seats, with a vote share of 33.37 per cent. On the other hand, the Mahagathbandhan, now INDIA bloc had won 47 seats, which enabled them to throw BJP out of power. JMM had won 30 seats while Congress had won 16 and RJD 1 seat.

BJP’s ally Nitish Kumar led JD(U) has already decided to contest Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha election without taking BJP into confidence, though they are part of NDA government in Bihar and at the Centre. It is indicative of the fact that everything is not well within the NDA.

There is also a new entrant in the political arena of Jharkhand – the Jharkhand Bhasha Khatiyan Sangharsh Samiti(JBKSS) led by a young energetic leader Jairam Mahato. The party has contested couple of seats in the Lok Sabha Election 2024, which is believed to be the chief cause of BJP’s loss of seats. The party has announced to contest the majority of 81 Vidhan Sabha constituencies opening the possibility of further erosion of the BJP’s support base among Mahato community, who have been the traditional BJP voters. (IPA Service)