Amid Covid 19 crisis the political atmosphere of Jharkhand got surcharged with state Congress president and finance minister Rameshwar Oraon accusing the BJP for making a poaching attempt to emulate Rajasthan in Jharkhand. In the last Assembly election the UPA combine headed by Soren threw the BJP out of power and formed a majority Government in Jharkhand.
The BJP was quick to dismiss the allegation but the Congress insiders claimed that during the Rajya Sabha election the BJP had approached four legislators of the Congress.
However, this is too early to dismiss allegation of Oraon and to guess the BJP drafting roadmap for to topple Hemant Soren led JMM-Congress-RJD government but insiders of ruling alliance as well as the BJP opposition feel that the upcoming bypoll of two of the Assembly seats namely Dumka and Bermo will have an impact on the state politics.
Nevertheless, due to Covid-19 the Election Commission of India has not started any preliminary preparation to conduct bypoll, but rivals are all quietly working in the battlefield.
Even if the outcome of the poll will have no impact on the government but it will be crucial both for the ruling alliance and the BJP opposition.
The BJP, which has become aggressive towards the government, will try to capture both seats to prove that the Hemant Soren government lost popularity. For the ruling alliance both seats are important as in the last assembly election the JMM and the Congress had won Dumka and Bermo respectively. Also in case the ruling alliance wins both seats it will be proved beyond doubt that Soren continues to enjoy phenomenal popularity and his position among alliance partners will become further strong.
The JMM and the Congress strategists are aware that the bypoll will be an opportunity to blunt the BJP as they realized how smartly the BJP poached lone legislator of the NCP during the Rajya Sabha poll that the ruling alliance had not anticipated.
The BJP feels that the result of Dumka can be the game changer provided the party snatches this seat from the JMM. The BJP has roped-in Babulal Marandi to work out electoral strategy.