The 16 seats in Jharkhand going to polls in the fifth and last phase of 2019 Assembly election on December 20 will witness direct contest between the ruling BJP and the main opposition JMM. The BJP has left no stone unturned in its effort to make inroads into this JMM bastion.
While Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday addressed public rallies in Pakur and Poraiyahat, BJP’ biggest star campaigner and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed his last public rally in Bhognadih in Barhet Assembly seat. Barhet is one of two Assembly seats from where JMM executive president and former Chief Minister Hemant Soren is contesting election. Dumka is other seat from where junior Soren is contesting election. In last Assembly election too, Hemant contested from Dumka and Barhet, but was successful in winning Barhait as he lost to Louis Marandi of BJP from Dumka the traditional stronghold of JMM. Modi on Sunday had addressed rally in Dumka.
Apart from Modi and Shah, BJP’s another star campaigner and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath too had addressed public rallies in Jamtara on Monday, while on Tuesday he addressed rallies in Sarath and Nala. BJP sources claimed that with Modi, Shah and Yogi Adityanath rallies there is wave in support of BJP. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Mahesh Poddar said, “With PM, Union Home Minister and UP CM’s rallies BJP is much stronger position. The party is confident of winning maximum seats in Santhal.” Sources said that apart from charisma of Modi, Shah and Yogi the BJP is also banking on developmental works carried out by Raghubar Das government in Santhal.
State BJP president Laxman Gilua said, “In last five years both the centre and state has initiated several welfare schemes in State particularly strengthening the infrastructure. Construction of AIIMS and airport in pilgrim town Deoghar, construction of medical college in Dumka, construction of inland waterways in Sahibganj are some of the projects which the government has initiated for lifting the economic backwardness of the region.”
The battle of Santhal also gains importance for JMM as the region is considered to be traditional stronghold of JMM. The JMM’s maximum MLAs are from the region. JMM ideologue and party chief Shibu Soren has represented Dumka Lok Sabha seat for eight times. In 1980, Shibu Soren won the seat for first time as JMM candidate at the time when there was Congress wave for then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. From 1989 to 1996, Shibu Soren went on to win the seat continuously for three times, in 1998 his winning streak was given brake by then BJP candidate Babulal Marandi. But, since 2002 Shibu Soren continuously won the seat till 2014. In last general election BJP Sunil Soren defeated Shibu Soren.
Sources said that apart from JMM, many parts of Santhal border West Bengal having high concentration of Muslim population who are traditionally Congress supporters. Congress Muslim face Alamgir Alam and Irfan Ansari represent Pakur and Jamtara seat in Assembly.
JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said, “JMM is much stronger in Santhal and BJP will bite the dust in Assembly poll.”