NDA and INDIA bloc gear up for poll battle in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Oct 15 (IANS) The Election Commission of India will announce the dates for the Jharkhand Assembly elections on Tuesday, officially kickstarting the electoral contest between the NDA and the INDIA bloc.

However, both coalitions have already begun laying the groundwork for what promises to be a fierce battle for power in the state.

Jharkhand’s current coalition government, led by Hemant Soren, is the first non-BJP government to complete a full five-year term. Though Soren was temporarily removed from office for five months following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress-RJD alliance maintained its hold on power.

In the 2019 elections, the BJP-AJSU alliance, under Chief Minister Raghuvar Das, was expected to retain power, having governed the state for a full term. Confident of a second victory, the BJP coined the slogan "Abki Baar 65 Paar" (This time, over 65 seats). However, the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition, led by Soren, secured 47 of the 81 Assembly seats in 2019, ousting the BJP-AJSU alliance, which faltered largely due to its failure in the tribal-dominated constituencies, winning only 25 seats, while AJSU managed only two.

This time, the BJP is putting special emphasis on tribal seats, which were a key factor in their previous defeat, particularly in the Kolhan and Santhal Pargana regions. For months, the party has aggressively campaigned on issues such as Bangladeshi infiltration, religious conversions, government corruption, and alleged failures of the Soren-led administration. In a bid to reclaim power, the BJP has roped in allies such as AJSU, JDU, and LJP.

The ruling JMM-Congress-RJD coalition is focusing on populist schemes like the 'Maiya Samman Yojana,' which provides financial aid to women, 200 units of free electricity, loan waivers for farmers, and early pensions for tribals and Dalits. The alliance is also working to include Left parties in its fold.

With both sides ramping up their campaigns, Jharkhand looks set for a tightly contested election.