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Journalism of Courage
While the BJP feels emboldened following a historic third term in Haryana, leaders of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Congress in Jharkhand, which goes to polls next along with Maharashtra, said the “encouraging pro-incumbency” signs had heartened them.
At the same time, the leaders of the ruling alliance in Jharkhand admitted that the “rhetoric of tribal politics” alone would not lead them to a decisive victory like in 2014, when the alliance won 26 of the 28 seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (STs).
“The pro-incumbency result in Haryana also reflects the governance model so we will have to show what we have done for the people,” said a government insider. Almost on cue, JMM chief and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren took to X hours after the Haryana outcome became clear to list his government’s achievements. Soren spoke about various schemes such as the Maiyya Samman Yojana, farm loan waiver, free electricity scheme and the conduct of “timely examinations” to highlight his government’s “commitment to serve the people”.
“The Haryana result has indicated that there is a mood towards pro-incumbency and the voter is likely to reward the government that has undertaken welfare measures,” Dhanbad-based Congress leader Mayur Shekhar Jha told The Indian Express.
Another Congress leader said though the BJP had been able to set the narrative in Jharkhand, there was no clear anti-incumbency. “Last time, people voted against then CM Raghubar Das but there is no hatred for Soren. Good candidate selection, booth management, and collective leadership will be key to winning the polls. Another good thing is that both Soren and his wife Kalpana are among the people,” the Congress functionary added.
A Congress insider said unlike Haryana, where the party seemingly relied mostly on Jat votes, leading to a non-Jat consolidation against it, it would focus on communities other than Muslims and tribals to rally behind them in Jharkhand.
The state BJP claimed that the results had “psychologically emboldened” them. “One thing is clear. People have rejected the Congress’s rumours about the BJP changing the Constitution. Even a large number of Dalits voted for the BJP (in Haryana). The JMM thinks it has supremacy over tribal votes but it will get a shock in the election,” said a BJP leader in Ranchi.
Another BJP leader targeted Soren for not mentioning jobs in his post on X, pointing out that the CM had failed to mention that many exams were mired in allegations of question paper leaks.
Since his release from jail in June, Soren’s governance has come under scrutiny, with the BJP stepping up its attacks over the death of a dozen aspirants during physical tests for the post of excise constable. With Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma appointed as the party’s state in-charge, “infiltration” in the Santhal Pargana region has repeatedly found space in the state’s political discourse. Several BJP leaders have accused the ruling alliance of resorting to “appeasement politics”.
