Hemant Soren Challenges BJP: ‘Fight From the Front, Not From Behind

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren launched a fierce attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, accusing them of cowardice for attacking him from behind instead of confronting him directly. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Soren challenged the BJP, saying, “If you have courage, then fight me from the front. Why keep attacking from behind like the cowardly British?”

CM Criticizes BJP’s Tactics

In his post, Soren shared a headline from a news article, highlighting claims that large sums of money have been used to tarnish his reputation. He remarked, “Sometimes the ED, sometimes the CBI, sometimes another agency—now billions of rupees have been spent to spoil my image. The situation is strange.”

Double Engine Government Under Fire

Soren also took aim at the BJP’s concept of a “double engine government,” referring to the BJP’s control at both the national and state levels. He pointed out that despite being in power at the center for 11 years and in Jharkhand for 5 years, the BJP failed to deliver on key promises. He questioned, “Why did only the elephant fly during Raghubar Das’s government for five years? Why were 13,000 schools closed? Why were 11 lakh ration cards canceled? Why was not even one JPSC exam conducted?”

Concerns Over Social Issues

Soren continued to criticize the BJP for its governance, highlighting issues like the lack of pensions for the elderly and widows, and the deaths due to hunger in the state. He also referred to the BJP’s discouraging attitude toward youth, asking, “Why were young people told to make bicycles and sell bananas?”

Promises for the Future

Looking ahead, Soren promised that if his government is re-elected, they would continue working for the betterment of the people of Jharkhand. He assured that the future would focus on the interests of every resident of the state.

Jharkhand Assembly Election Overview

The 81-member Jharkhand Assembly elections will be held in two phases, on November 13 and 20, with the vote counting set for November 23. A total of 2.6 crore voters, including 1.31 crore male voters, 1.29 crore female voters, and 11.84 lakh first-time voters, will cast their ballots. In the 2020 election, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) won 30 seats, while the BJP secured 25, and the Congress won 16 seats. In 2014, the BJP had a stronger hold with 37 seats, while JMM and Congress secured 19 and 6 seats, respectively.