The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has formally sought permission from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to launch its flagship program, the 'JMM Samman Yojna,' ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Jharkhand. The party's initiative comes as part of its strategy to strengthen its political footing and counter the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) latest outreach program, the ‘Go Go Didi’ scheme.
On Wednesday, the JMM submitted a detailed memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer of Jharkhand, expressing concerns about the legality of the BJP’s ‘Go Go Didi’ scheme. According to the JMM, the scheme violates the ECI's directives. The party urged the Commission to investigate whether the ‘Go Go Didi’ scheme complies with electoral regulations. Additionally, it sought permission to proceed with its own ‘JMM Samman Yojna’ if the BJP’s scheme is found to be lawful.
The JMM’s ‘Samman Yojna’ proposes a direct financial transfer to women across Jharkhand. As outlined by the party, women would receive Rs 2,500 at the beginning of each month, amounting to a total annual benefit of Rs 30,000. The JMM has positioned this scheme as a means of providing financial relief and empowering women economically.
In its memorandum, the JMM also demanded that the Chief Minister halt the enrollment process for the BJP’s ‘Go Go Didi’ scheme, asserting that it violates electoral regulations. The party warned that if the BJP continues to register beneficiaries under the program, the JMM may adopt similar tactics to promote its own scheme in the coming days.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in response to the issue, has directed all Deputy Commissioners in Jharkhand’s districts to take strict action against individuals violating the ECI's guidelines. He also instructed them to file First Information Reports (FIRs) against anyone found to be breaching the rules. Despite these directives, BJP’s state president Babulal Marandi openly challenged the CM’s orders by helping women fill out forms for the ‘Go Go Didi’ scheme on Tuesday, escalating the political confrontation between the two parties.
This clash follows the success of the ‘Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Mainiya Samman Yojana,’ a welfare program launched by the JMM-Congress coalition government in August. Under this scheme, over 45 lakh women in the state have already received three installments of Rs 1,000 each every month. Looking at the popularity of this initiative among women voters, the BJP promised in its election manifesto to enhance the financial benefits provided under the Mainiya Samman Yojana. The BJP has proposed increasing the monthly amount from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,100, while also pledging to launch its own ‘Go Go Didi Yojana’ if it comes to power.
In a counter-move, the JMM has now proposed increasing the monthly amount even further to Rs 2,500 through its ‘JMM Samman Yojna’ and has sought ECI approval to distribute the benefits.
The JMM has labelled the BJP’s ‘Go Go Didi’ scheme as fraudulent, claiming it is being used to mislead voters. The party insists that if the scheme continues, it could undermine the fairness of the electoral process, and thus, it should be stopped immediately.
