Like the entire country, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pulled out a long streak in Jharkhand this election. While another Modi magic was already high among the masses, Chief Minister Raghubar Das’ strategy made it work too well in State. In the last elections, BJP got 17 crore votes at the national level, this time the number of votes increased to 22 crores. There were 224 seats, which the NDA alliance won with more than 50 per cent votes.
In Jharkhand, although BJP and AJSU Party fought differently in 2014, their total vote percentage was about 44 per cent. This time the vote share has increased to 55 per cent. In spite of all the estimations, the BJP received a large number of tribals and minority votes in some areas. The tribal-dominated Jama Assembly is a vivid example where after BJP has never been ahead since the creation of Jharkhand as a separate State. Shibu Soren's family was dominated here. This time BJP is ahead with a big margin.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das made the entire election strategy with organization secretary Dharmapal ji from the beginning. The CM had started the campaign before the Opposition was thinking of its strategy. The CM went accompanied every single candidate during nomination. The NDA workers were also enthusiastic from the beginning. Even though there is only one booth in the Peshrar area, which is insurgency-affected, the CM travelled there on foot to send this message to his workers that no one needs to be scared of extremists and people can vote fearlessly. In Ranchi, Khunti and Koderma, nominations were on the same day. The CM not only remained present in the three nominations, but after every nomination he addressed meetings.
The BJP completely demolished the so-called final fort of JMM in Santhal Pargana. During his tenure, Raghubar Das toured Santhal Pargana more than a 100 times and worked to revive the organisation that was almost lying dead. The bye-election of Laltipara was a turning point when the BJP had crossed the 50,000 votes for the first time since independence. It was believed by the workers that the Soren family could be defeated in Santhal. Due to direct combat in Lohardaga, people believed that the BJP would be defeated, but the BJP defeated the Congress in a direct fight through the army of its Panna chiefs and booth chairmen. The Prime Minister was absolutely right that in this election, the addition of Maths did not add up, but people were connected just like in chemistry. Only then 4 MPs in a small State won with more than 4.50 lakh votes.
The victory of BJP in significant in Khunti, which is the epicentre of those involved in religious conversions. The people believed that the powers associated with conversions are those who talk about giving facilities for their own benefits. The government was providing the facilities directly. The NDA alliance has proved by staying ahead of the 63 seats in Jharkhand that those who had made tribals and native citizens vote bank, the illusion is now broken. With the defeat of Guruji in Santhal, the story of JMM's fall has begun.
The writer is State BJP Spokesperson and a member of BJP Election Management Core Committee.