Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Saturday said that the people of Santhal Pargana must now support Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidates since Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supremo Shibu Soren was ageing.

“You have supported Shibu Soren since a long time and he deserved that support. But now, he is ageing and you all must render your support to Sunil Soren in Dumka and Hemlal Murmu in Rajmahal,” said Das.

The blessings that people of Santhal Pargana bestow upon the BJP’s candidates will empower Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the centre and result in holistic development of the state as well as the country, he added.

Das was in Dumka on Saturday to address party workers.

He counted the Sahibganj bridge and construction of harbour in the district as achievements of the ruling Government and said that such developmental works will take Santhal Pargana to new heights in the days to come.

“The construction of the harbour will be complete within three to four months. The construction work for the bridge too will begin very soon,” said Das, adding that the harbour will boost business in the region and bring development through industrial boom.

He also paid tribute to the freedom fighters of Santhal Pargana and called the region a land of bravehearts.

“It is our priority to work for the development of the descendants of Sidhu

Kanho and Chand Bhairav,” he said.

The BJP won 12 of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand during the 16th General Elections in 2014. However, the JMM, which has its roots in Santhal Pargana, won the Dumka and Rajmahal seats.