While Jharkhand elections have given a definite edge to the JMM, running a stable Government will not be a cakewalk for incumbent Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Besides the many issues surrounding the State, he has to keep his flock together

The mahagathbandhan’s impressive win in Jharkhand has sent a powerful political message, though it is a small State. This is the second State the BJP has lost in the past six months after Maharashtra. The Modi-Shah duo will have to take a step back and reflect. With a debacle in Jharkhand, non-BJP Governments now control more than 65 per cent of the population. Democracy indeed is a great leveller. No doubt the Jharkhand results show that the Modi magic is on the wane even though he emerged stronger just six months ago with an impressive win in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. 

For the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the victory means a fifth shot at heading the State Government. It is also a victory of former Chief Minister Shibu Soren and his family. Though Shibu Soren had groomed his elder son Durga Soren, his younger son, Hemant Soren, became the next choice after the former’s death in 2009. Hemant Soren has served as the youngest Chief Minister of the State from July 2013 to December 2014. In the past two years, it was his image builders, consisting of a team of a dozen professionals, who advised him to project himself as a simple, approachable leader. They exhibited his pictures riding a motorcycle or in the traditional tribal attire standing near a hut and shared his family photos in the social media. He had served as a Rajya Sabha MP (2009 to 2010,) and deputy Chief Minister in the Arjun Munda-led NDA Government from 2010 to 2013. So, it is not a new thing for him to be in the Government.

“Today a new chapter will begin for the State and that chapter will prove to be a milestone. Today, the time has come to fulfil what Jharkhand was created for,” said Hemant Soren soon after his victory. However, many challenges lie ahead for him. Leading the mahagathbandhan will not be easy. This is equivalent to wearing a crown of thorns. There is no ideology that binds the coalition partners. Only power is the glue. Jharkhand is known for its character of not having a stable Government except under the Raghubar Das-led BJP Government, which became the first to complete a full-term. Hemant Soren, therefore, has to guard his chair.

The second and corollary of the first is to keep his flock in tact. In a small State even defecting of a handful of legislators can destabilise the Government. A wounded BJP is not going to miss any opportunity to form the Government if there is any sign of instability. In times when the dictum, Aya Ram, Gaya Ram, rules the roost, poaching by the BJP cannot be ruled out. Unless Hemant is able to satisfy the mahagathbandhan legislators, this defection is a danger that is facing him.

The third challenge, which is immediate, is Cabinet formation. There are many aspirants in the coalition for the 12 Cabinet berths.  Finding a smooth formula for the Cabinet formation and later distribution of portfolios is not easy.

The fourth is to observe the coalition dharma. As of now, coalition partners are fully behind him. He must try to follow a common minimum programme just as Maharashtra is doing. This will help smoothen coalition difficulties. The fifth and most important is the development of the State and fulfilling what was promised in the manifesto. Even as the BJP campaigned on issues such as Article 370, triple talaq and CAA among others,  the JMM stuck to raising local issues such as unemployment, water scarcity and the protection of jal, jungle, and zameen (water, land and forest).

Jharkhand, one of the most beautiful States of the country, needs huge development projects. It needs more airports, road connectivity, rail transport and other infrastructure projects. For this, one needs money.  Hemant must try to find public private participation in many new projects. Jharkhand has rich mineral and natural resources. This aspect must be utilised to the fullest to the benefit of the people of the State. Before elections, Hemant campaigned against the proposed amendments to the pro-tribal tenancy laws and fought the elections on bread and butter issues, land acquisition and unemployment. He also promised 50 per cent reservation to women in Government jobs. Women form a formidable percentage of the voters. A key promise that Hemant made was reservation for locals in jobs. This had a direct connect with the youth, especially as unemployment was the biggest issue in the polls.

The sixth is governance. He must provide a corruption-free and clean Government. Jharkhand is known for the corrupt image of its politicians. This is indeed going to be a difficult task for the new Chief Minister. The seventh is to keep good relations with the Centre. He may have to go out of the way to do this.  Every non-BJP Chief Minister faces these challenges. How the new Chief Minister overcomes them is to be seen.

(The writer is a senior journalist)