Dumka, the Santhal heartland, is all set to witness a clash of titans amid the issue of unemployment that has been the reason of mass exodus from the region and other basic issues concerning a citizen. According to pundits, the contest is triangular and evenly poised at this juncture. The constituency is going to polls on April 24 and interestingly is also a battle between Shibu Soren’s charisma and NaMo wave.
Unemployment in the six Assembly constituencies under Dumka parliamentary seat is one of the main concerns of electorates in the general elections. With a little means of livelihood and even MNREGA failing to meet the expectations coupled with over dependence on agriculture that’s the mainstay of Santhal’s fragile economy, promises of employment figures at the top among the poll promises made by candidates in the poll ring. For more than 20 lakh inhabitants of Dumka, lack of basic amenities-- road, electricity and water—adds insult to the years of injury.
Nonetheless, the issues seem enmeshed in the vote bank that is divided along traditional voters of Santhal, voters influenced by anti-incumbency and palpable wave of BJP’ PM candidate Narendra Modi.
Workers of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are confident about repeating the history in Dumka which has been represented by JMM patriarch Shibu Soren six times in lok Sabha. The JMM still remains a party of choice for older people who perceive the party’s candidate Soren as their liberator. The party claims that bow and arrow is the only symbol that people in the tribal dominated region are aware of and it has enough support in the region to help Soren senior make it to the lok Sabha fourth time in a row.
The significance of Santhal for JMM is highlighted by Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s continuous campaigning in the area since the bugle for the general elections has been sounded. The CM has spent more days in Santhal campaigning for Senior Soren and is likely to woo young Santhal voters.
However, anti-incumbency is also visible in Dumka where jobless youths and people deprived of basic amenities are staring at their sitting MP with absolute resentment. The simmering discontent and resulting loss, if any, would mean a gain for the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) whose leader Babulal Marandi has been more active than the JMM chief in last two years. Thanks to anti-incumbency among the youths the JVM appears to have made a dent in JMM’s youth vote bank.
Even as media is abuzz with Soren versus Marandi contest, the BJP’s candidate Sunil Soren has added another dimension to the poll battle. large scale displacement as a consequence of unemployment, lack of irrigation facilities, poor health services and dearth of educational institutions are arrows in the BJP’s quiver which the party is using to inflict injuries to its opponents. The BJP also expects NaMo wave to blow away “pied pipers” and register presence in Dumka which had slipped out of its hand after Babulal Marandi walked away from the party.
“People have understood their (Shibu and Babulal) politics and will teach them a lesson. Modi wave can be felt everywhere and people want to see Modi as the next PM of India,” said Sunil.