The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Sunday reiterated unity in the party ahead of Assembly elections in State and at the same time blamed the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and money power of BJP for the drubbing of party in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. The party on Sunday held the legislature party meeting at JMM patriarch Shibu Soren’s residence.
JMM president Shibu Soren, party executive president Hemant Soren and lawmakers from party attended the meeting which lasted for more than four hours. The JMM leadership collected feedback from its MLA about the reasons behind the defeat in the elections.
The JMM which was part of the Grand Alliance had contested four Lok Sabha seats, but leaving aside Rajmahal the party lost all three seats. Even JMM chief and party patriarch Shibu Soren who had contested the elections from Dumka in Santhal Pargana lost the election to BJP’s Sunil Soren.
JMM executive president Hemant Soren said, “The party had called for legislature party meet. The party senior leaders collected feedback from MLAs finding out the reasons behind the defeat in the elections. The party will table the feedback collected from its legislators at the working committee meet scheduled on Monday.”
On being part of grand alliance in year-end Assembly poll, Soren said, “In Assembly election the JMM will play the role of big brother. We will talk to all Grand Alliance partners in days to come.”
However, the JMM leader claimed that JMM exerted its full effort in the Lok Sabha election at the same time transferring JMM votes to other constituents of Grand Alliance. However, when asked whether other Grand Alliance partners were able to transfer their votes for JMM candidates, the JMM executive president said that they will take up the issue with Grand Alliance leaders.
Soren further said, “JMM believes that for protecting and strengthening democracy, elections should be held through ballot papers as there are chances of rigging through EVMs.”
The JMM leader also cited the example of results of Karnataka civic bodies’ election which was held after the declaration of Lok Sabha elections. He said, “In the Lok Sabha elections BJP’s performance was very good, but in the civic bodies the same party’s performance was dismal. The civic bodies’ election was held through ballot papers.”
In the Lok Sabha election in Karnataka out of 28 seats the BJP and its allies partners won 26 seats, while the ruling party Congress and JDS managed to win only two seats. However, in civic bodies’ election, the Congress and JDU bounced back by winning maximum seats.
Out of to 1,361 wards, spread across eight city municipal councils, 33 town municipal councils and 22 town panchayats, were held on May 29. The Congress won 509 seats, while BJP was 336 and JD(S) had secured victory at 174 seats. Independents took 160 wards, while BSP and CPM won on three and two seats respectively.