In Jharkhand, the heat for state assembly election -2024 is going on. The main parties who are in the fray have declared their candidates. It is going to be a tough contest between two alliances-National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and I.N.D.I.A. bloc. In the I.N. D. I. A. bloc, the leading party is Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and chief ministerial face in undoubtedly Hemant Soren. Interestingly, Bhartiya Janata Party leads the NDA and there are many faces who may have chief ministerial possibility.
As we know Hemant Soren emerged as main claimant of the political legacy of his father and iconic tribal leader-Shri Shibu Soren.
Why It is going to be tough and close contest?
Firstly, JMM leader Hemant Soren who is main contender from I.N.D.I.A bloc for the power in Jharkhand has many advantages and disadvantages in this election. The main advantage he has his political legacy which is associated with Shibu Soren. Secondly, he got well-structured and deeply rooted influence of JMM from as legacy of his father. The tribal as base vote for JMM in many parts of Jharkhand is another strength. The tribal constitute 26.21 percent of total Jharkhand population which is largest voting bloc.
He tried to carved his face as-youth leader. As we know youth is largest section in Jharkhand population. Almost 70 percent of Jharkhand population are youth.
He is also suffering from certain disadvantages. The first and the foremost is the dent in his image caused by allegation of corruption. Secondly, his symbolic power of political legacy of Shibu Soren has been also fractured due to their family rift and Sita Soren’s, wife of his elder brother, decision of joining BJP and contesting assembly election on BJP ticket. The Champai Soren resignation from the JMM also appeared as another perceptional loss for Hemant Soren and his party.
It is true that after his arrest, Heman Soren acquired some sympathy-based support for him. It became obvious just after his release from the jail. He received overwhelming welcome by his followers when he came out from jail.
Most of the political analysts use to consider a strong element for cultivating winnability for him in coming state assembly election. But since due to long time gap between moment of his release and election time, we see decline in sympathy for Heman Soren in public which produced due to his arrest on the allegation of corruption.
The Congress, one of the important part of the I.N.D.I.A bloc is struggling to improve its image which received dent to corruption charges on its some leaders.
On the other hand, BJP and its NDA allies All Jharkhand Student Union(AJSU), Janata Dal United(JDU) and Lok Jan shakti Party are working hard to develop a rainbow alliance of various castes and communities in Jharkhand. As we know Jharkhand contains many big cities such as Ranchi, Jamshed Pur, Hazaribagh, Geeridih and many other with impressive urban population. The urban population mostly favors to BJP.BJP has also deep impact in non-tribal population of Jharkhand which is growing day by day. Through the tribal party like AAJSU and important tribal faces like Arjun Munda, Sita Soren, Champai soren, BJP has made impact in tribal vote bank too.
The Rohingya and Bangla deshi intruders’ issues raised by NDA and BJP in big way in this election may also add a section of tribals and non-tribals in the voters’ profile of the BJP. The fear psychosis caused by this intruder’s issue may produce new form of political mobilization in Jharkhand. RSS and its allies have also prepared an echo-system by their social service schemes among tribals and poor may also help BJP in this election in one way or another way. BJP and its allies are also building up their election campaign on anti-incumbency element against JMM government. This may be an additional factor for giving edge to the BJP in this election
PM Modi acquires lot of trust among people of Jharkhand especially among Upper middle class, middle class and poor. He has evolved his admirers across the caste and communities in the state. Women which is largest section of Jharkhand society in both tribal and non-tribal social groups, mostly trust on PM Modi. His policies may have influenced a section of women voters in the state.
His policies for the poor and marginal evolved a huge beneficiary group among these marginalised communities. A large section of these beneficiaries of Modi wala programmes may certainly favour to NDA alliance in coming election.
These factors show the coming election is going to be close fight between these two strong contenders for power in Jharkhand state. Who acquires edge in it, it will be clear in coming few days when election campaign may get momentum. Both the political alliance are now in the battlefield with their full preparation.