Category: Jharkhand

“Corruption in 5 Years of BJP Govt in Jharkhand is an Issue,” says JMM president Hemant Soren.

Source – economictimes.indiatimes.com

What is the feedback that you have got from the ground after the first round of voting?
We are doing very well. In fact, you can ask BJP if they can name four seats which they are sure of winning in the first phase. On our part, we are confident and stronger on every seat. Wait for the results.

Would dilution of Article 370 and Ayodhya issue have an impact on Jharkhand polls? How important are national issues in this election?
BJP leaders are talking about Kashmir in Jharkhand. My question is: If you talk about Kashmir in Jharkhand, where would we talk about the unemployment, lower industrial growth and corruption in Jharkhand. People have given their mandate on national issues in Lok Sabha elections. Now, this is about Jharkhand, and 370 or Ayodhya is not an issue here.

What are the issues in the state?
The issue is rampant corruption in five years of BJP government. Right from Lokpal to development commissioner to other senior government officials, they all have flagged corruption and scam in the current government. The issue is slowdown in industrial areas which has resulted in major job losses. The issue is how this government is trying to grab the lands of tribals in the state.

Your party has a limitation in that it has influence in only certain parts of the state and the BJP has made inroads into the tribal segment as well…
We are going to surprise you with our performance this time, be it urban or rural region. We are getting support from all corners of the state. BJP is plotting with independent candidates in each constituency to divide votes. But voters this time are determined to topple the BJP government.

Despite being in alliance, the Congress and JMM came up with separate manifestos…
Every party has a right to bring out its manifesto. But when it comes to government formation, we will work out a common minimum programme.

Your party has extended support to rebel BJP leader Saryu Roy while Congress has put up a candidate against him…
In the alliance the seat has gone to the Congress and I can’t force them to leave the seat. My support to Roy is on moral grounds. He is not fighting against the CM but against corruption. At the same
time I am part of the grand alliance and am campaigning for alliance candidates across the state.

Why is Babulal Marandi not part of the alliance?
The state has only 81seats and every party has its specific requirement. We tried hard to convince him. However, he has the right to decide about his party and seats he would contest.

Jharkhand assembly election: Congress takes a backseat in Ranchi, fields Ranchi, member against BJP.

Source – dailystockdish.com

The Congress has decided not to field its own candidate against the BJP from the much contentious seat of Ranchi in the upcoming assembly election in Jharkhand, scheduled to take place in five phases.

Instead, Congress‘s ally Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has been given the prestigious seat of Ranchi. JMM leader Mahua Maji will be contesting against BJP leader CP Singh.

Notably, BJP has won from Ranchi‘s seat for six consecutive times in state assembly elections.

According to reports, Congress has also faced opposition from its party workers over its decision of leaving the Ranchi seat.

In the 2014 Jharkhand assembly election, JMM had nominated Mahua Majhi only as its candidate from Ranchi constituency. She was defeated by BJP leader CP them Singh by a margin of 59,000 votes. In the 2014 assembly election, Congress candidate Surendra Singh had got only 7,935 votes from Ranchi seat, and he also lost his deposit.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the Congress and Lalu Prasad Yadav‘s Rashtriya Janata Dal had recently announced a pre-poll alliance for the state with former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren as the alliance‘s CM face.

Congress has released four lists of a total of 27 candidates as of now for the upcoming assembly election in Jharkhand. The Congress will contest 31 seats out of 81 seats in the Jharkhand assembly.

The RJD will contest on seven seats, while the largest chunk of the alliance share has gone to the JMM, which will contest elections on 43 seats.

BJP needs to introspect in Jharkhand, says party spokesman Praveen Prabhakar before resigning.

Source – indiatoday.in

In a jolt to the BJP in Jharkhand where polls are underway, its principal spokesman and a leading light of the statehood demand, Praveen Prabhakar, on Sunday resigned from the party. He will now contest the Assembly elections from Nala on a National Peoples’ Party (NPP) ticket.

Associated with the BJP for the past five years, Prabhakar had been among the founding members of the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), which fought the 2014 Assembly election in alliance with the BJP but is contesting separately this time. He was said to be unhappy with the ticket distribution in the state by the party.

Prabhakar told IANS that he had learnt a lot from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief and Home Minister Amit Shah but in Jharkhand, the BJP needed to do some introspection.

He joined the National Peoples’ Party (NPP), headed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, at its national convention at the Constitution Club in Ranchi on Sunday, and was named its candidate from Nala, which will go to polls in the last of the five phases on December 20.

Shillong MP and former Union Minister Agatha Sangma, Meghalaya Home Minister James Sangma and NPP’s Jharkand chief Raj Kumar Poddar were also present at the programme.

The NPP was recently recognised as a national political party by the Election Commission, making it one of the eight to enjoy this status.

Speaking on the occasion, Conrad Sangma recalled his father and former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma had set up the party in 2013 and his dream was that it not remained confined to the northeast but spread to other states across India as a national party to help the deprived.

Hailing Prabhakar’s joining his party, Sangma said that he would help the NPP increase its footprint in Jharkhand and other states and thus “all would together help achieve the late Sangma’s dream”.

Prabhakar said that he does not have any personal grievance with the BJP but it needs to do some soul-searching in his state. Extolling the leadership of Modi and Amit Shah, he said that under them, “the nation was progressing on all fronts, but in Jharkhand, the aspirations of the people were being constantly snuffed. I dedicated all I had for the creation of Jharkhand (as a separate state) and will continue to fight all my life for its development. I have full faith that I will get the assistance and guidance of NPP leaders in this endeavour…”.

Despite Being Politically Powerful & Affluent, How a Backward Community in Jharkhand Figured on Poll Planks.

Source – news18.com

Patna/Ranchi: Ahead of the crucial five-phase Jharkhand assembly elections, all the major political parties and combinations made last-minute promises to garner the votes of the other backward castes (OBCs), especially the Kudmi-Mahato caste, and the Scheduled Tribes.

The Congress promised in its manifesto 27% reservation for the OBCs from the existing 14%, jobs to at least one person per household and a separate Sarna code (religious code) for the tribal population of Jharkhand if voted to power.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah at one of its election rallies also announced to form a commission for reservation to the backward caste youth and dole out jobs to them. Shah said that the BJP government would provide an opportunity to the OBCs, which have been neglected during 70 years of Congress rule in the country.

Simultaneously, the main opposition Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) led by Sibu Soren has pledged to provide 67% reservation to OBCs, Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes besides government jobs to the local people if it came to power in the state. The JMM also promised an allowance of Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,000 per month to unemployed graduates and post-graduates besides reserving 75% jobs in the private sector for the local youth.

The Congress strategy in promising increase in reservation for the OBCs appears to be an attempt to snatch the OBC quota plank from the BJP and its disgruntled ally — the All Jharkhand Student Union (AJSU) Party, which has been championing the demand of the Kudmi-Mahato caste for its inclusion in the list of the Scheduled Tribes. The Kudmi-Mahatos constitute around 25 per cent of the total population of Jharkhand.

The higher OBC quota politics is also an attempt to blunt the demand of inclusion of the Kudmi-Mahato in the Scheduled Tribe list as it would require an amendment in Parliament. This attempt, at the same time, has the risk of alienating the substantial tribal population in Jharkhand.

But the offer will certainly have its bearing in the Chotanagpur region, which has substantial population of the Kudmi-Mahato caste. The Congress and others hope to rope in the support of the politically powerful and financially affluent Kudmi-Mahato caste.

The AJSU led by Sudesh Mahato had laboured under the BJP and been rendered redundant under the saffron shadow. But this time, it is trying to firm up its roots by deciding to field candidates against its BJP from 27 assembly seats and hopes to reap dividends from its core vote bank of the Kudmi-Mahato caste. In the 2014 polls, the BJP had won 37 seats in the 81-member Jharkhand assembly and it crossed the majority mark only with the help of five seats won by AJSU.

The Kudmi-Mahato caste of Jharkhand is ethnically and culturally different from the Kurmi caste of Bihar. They observe totems and taboos akin to Munda, Ho, Kharia, Oraon and Santhals. A central government notification of 1913 and notification of the then Bihar-Orissa government of 1931 suggest that Kudmis were part of the Scheduled Tribes. In the 1931 census, the Kudmis of Chotanagpur were included in the list of primitive tribes and it was a part of ST till September 5, 1950. The reason behind the omission of the caste from the list is not yet known.

Scholars like Dr Ram Dayal Munda, Dr Nirmal Minz, N E Horo, Sanjay Basu Mallick and Santosh Rana have observed that Kudmis of Jharkhand should be accorded the status of STs.

At the Adivasi Kudmi Convention held at Purulia on December 27, 1988, N E Horo in a written message stated that Kudmi community should be included into the ST list since they belonged to the ethnic group and remained part of it till 1931.

JMM patriarch Sibu Soren favoured inclusion of the Kudmi-Mahato into the list of Scheduled Tribes observing that they were a sub-caste of Santhals and branched out of the same clan. The then AICC general secretary Ram Ratan Ram had opined that the Kudmi-Mahatos were the tribesmen and promised to raise the issue with the then Prime Minister.

The Totemic Kudmi tribes are highly concentrated in Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Santhal Pargana and Chotanagpur plateau of Jharkhand, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Bonai in Orrisa and Purillia, Bankura and Midnapore, Burdan, Malda, Murshidabad and West Dinajpur in West Bengal. They have been traditionally settled in a well-defined territory bounded by four rivers Damodar, Kanshabati, Subarnarekha and Baitarni, which has been a part of lower Jharkhand.

The BJP is tactically playing safe on this issue although the then BJP government led by chief minister Arjun Munda had recommended to the Centre to provide tribal status to the Kudmi-Mahatos and Ghatwars in 2004.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) too is in support of the demand and supported increase in the OBC quota and inclusion of Kudmi-Mahato in the ST list.

Jharkhand will vote in five phases, with the first one on November 30 and the last on December 20. Results will be declared on December 23.

Jharkhand election: 62% turnout, sporadic violence mark first phase of voting.

Source – indiatoday.in

The first phase of the Jharkhand assembly election was held peacefully with no major untoward incident even though voting was held in 13 assembly constituencies that are severely hit by Maoist activities. However, a few incidents of sporadic violence were reported.

The first phase of Jharkhand assembly election will decide fate of 189 candidates, including 15 women nominees, will be decided in the first phase of the polling in Chatra, Gumla, Bishunpur, Lohardaga, Manika, Latehar, Panki, Daltonganj, Bishrampur, Chhatarpur, Hussainabad, Garhwa and Bhawanathpur.

The Bhawanathpur constituency has the maximum of 28 contestants, while Chatra has the lowest with nine.
An estimated 62.87 per cent votes were cast on Saturday when voting ended at 3pm. This time, the assembly election in Jharkhand is being held in five phases.

Polling officials said the polling percentage is likely to increase as voters who entered the polling stations by 3 pm were allowed to exercise their franchise.

A total of 37,83,055 electorate, including 18,01,356 women and five third-gender voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase of polling across six districts, which began at 7 am on Saturday.

BOMB BLAST

Additional Director General of Police Murari Lal Meena said Naxalites exploded a bomb near a culvert in the forests of Gumla district, but there was no casualty or damage.

“The explosion occurred near the culvert in the forests between Banalat and Biranpur villages under Bishunpur assembly constituency of the district,” Meena said.

He, however, said “peaceful” polling was held in all 13 assembly constituencies.

POLL-DAY CLASH

Palamau Deputy Commissioner-cum-Returning Officer Shantanu Agrahari said a minor clash broke out between two groups near Kosiyara polling station in Daltonganj assembly constituency.

The agitators broke the window panes of a police vehicle after Congress candidate KN Tripathi allegedly tried to enter the polling booth with arms, he said, adding, the situation was quickly brought under control.

Police have seized a pistol and three cartridges, which were allegedly in Tripathi’s possession, Agrahari said. The EC officials said women and youth were among the early voters in the first of the five-phase elections to the 81-member Jharkhand assembly.

Palamau Divisional Commissioner Manoj Kumar Jha said the timing of voting has been fixed between 7 am and 3 pm as several polling stations are in remote areas, and also due to the shorter days in winter.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Key candidates in the fray in today’s poll are Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee and state Health Minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi from Bishrampur and state Congress president Rameshwar Oraon from the Lohardaga seat.

Oraon is taking on the former state Congress chief Sukhdeo Bhagat after the latter joined the BJP recently.

Former BJP chief whip Radhakrishna Kishore, who was denied ticket from Chhatarpur, is contesting on an All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) party ticket from the same seat.

The BJP, which is seeking a second straight win under the leadership of Chief Minister Raghubar Das, is contesting in 12 seats in the first phase while it is supporting

Independent candidate Vinod Singh from Hussainabad. The AJSU party is contesting on its own. Challenging the BJP is the opposition alliance of the

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

While the Congress is contesting in six seats in the first phase, the JMM is fighting in four and the RJD in three constituencies in the first phase.

The other parties contesting the elections are Babulal Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik), Janata Dal (United) and the Left parties.

The rest of the four phases for the 81-member assembly will be held on December 7, 12, 16 and 20.
Counting is scheduled on December 23.

Vajpayee govt created Jharkhand, Modi taking it forward: Amit Shah

Source – indiatoday.in

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Thursday said that it was the Narendra Modi government at the Centre which was taking Jharkhand on the path of the development.

Speaking at an election rally Chatra he said that Jharkhand had witnessed large scale corruption during the previous governments but there is not a single charge of graft against the Raghubar Das government in the state.

He said the JMM, Congress and the RJD are fighting the state Assembly election in an alliance. “I would like to ask Hemant Babu (Soren) what was the stand of Congress when youth of Jharkhand were fighting for a separate state.”

“The Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had created Jharkhand and the Narendra Modi dispensation is taking it forward,” he said.

The Home minister claimed that the law and order situation has improved in the state and the “Raghubar Das government has buried Naxals “20 feet under the earth in Jharkhand”.

The BJP president that the Das government has provided electricity to 38 lakh households in the state.

Later speaking at another poll rally at Garhwa, where polls are slated to be held on November 30, Shah said that development cannot take place through use of brute power and warned Naxals that they would get “back with interest” for their violence.

Four policemen were martyred in Latehar recently. I tell the Naxals that they will get back “sudh samet” (with interest) for their actions and will be rooted out by the BJP government which will return to power in the state,” Shah, who is also the union home minister said.

Development cannot take take place through the use of bullets. It will happen when you press the button on Lotu (BJPs election symbol) in the assembly elections, Shah said, appealing to the people to give the BJP absolute majority to continue the development work in the state.

LWEs killed four state police personnel in Latehar district on November 22 and gunned down two persons, including a local BJP leader in Palamau district the next day.

Hitting out at the Congress and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which have a seat sharing understanding in Jharkhand in the coming Assembly poll, Shah said JMM leader

Hemant Soren is sitting in the lap of Congress for power.

Referring to the welfare schemes of the BJP-led government at the Centre, Shah said the Narendra Modi government had enhanced the allotment to the state to Rs 3,08,490 crore in five years from Rs 55,253 crore sanctioned by the Manmohan Singh government.

Speaking on the security measures taken by the Narendra Modi government, Shah said there were terrorist strikes during the Manmohan Singh dispensation, but it was the Narendra Modi government which gave a befitting reply after Uri and Pulwama terror attacks by targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan territory.

Our Army will not leave anybody staring or glaring at our borders, Shah said, adding youths from Jharkhand are also standing guard on the borders.

Amit Shah Says Jharkhand Will Again Pick ‘Twin-Engine’ Govt, Confident of Old Ally’s Return.

Source – news18.com

New Delhi: The BJP may have lost its old ally, the Shiv Sena, in Maharashtra, but party chief Amit Shah is confident of a reunion with estranged ally AJSU in Jharkhand, which goes to polls from November 30.

Speaking at News18’s Agenda Jharkhand summit on Thursday, the BJP chief expressed confidence that the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), which is contesting the upcoming Assembly elections alone, will return to the NDA fold after the elections.

“I am confident that the BJP will return to power with a thumping majority in Jharkhand and will not need support… Jharkhand will again chose the twin-engine government. But I am also confident that AJSU will be back by our side,” Shah said.

Invoking Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Shah said it was the former prime minister and BJP stalwart who ensured the creation of Jharkhand. “The state could not be created when Congress was at power in the centre despite the sacrifices of thousands of youth. It was only after Atal ji came to power that Jharkhand was created. Since 2014, PM Narendra Modi has given shape to the state and CM Raghubar Das is taking it forward,” he said.

Shah added that the state’s tribal population and residents feel cheated when they see a party like the JMM, which fought for Jharkhand’s creation, rubbing shoulders with the Congress.

The BJP chief also said at the event that incumbent Raghubar Das is the party’s CM face for the upcoming elections as well. Jharkhand will vote in five-phased elections beginning this Saturday and the counting of votes will be held on December 23.

In its manifesto, the BJP has promised to end Naxal violence in the state, provide job or self-employment opportunities to one member of the each BPL (below poverty line) family, launch of the Krishi Bima Yojna to provide full insurance cover to crops, and construction of water grid to every cultivable plot of land.

The manifesto also promises 33 per cent reservation to women in government jobs, 70 new Eklavya Schools by 2022, free job training camps for tribal students, construction of tribal hostels in every district, two skill development centres in each district and a new sports university. It assured Rs 1,000 crore fund to provide modern facilities at government schools and colleges, and setting up of an agro industrial corridor.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Releases Poll Manifesto, Promises Reservation.

Source – ndtv.com

RANCHI: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has promised 67 per cent reservation to STs, OBCs and SCs, and government jobs to local people if it forms the government in the state after Assembly elections.

The JMM, the main opposition party in Jharkhand, which has formed an alliance with the Congress and the RJD, said it would provide 28 per cent reservation to Scheduled Tribes, 27 per cent to Other Backward Classes and 12 per cent to Scheduled Castes.

Releasing the party’s manifesto for the polls on Tuesday, JMM president Shibu Soren and his son Hemant said that if the party came to power, 75 per cent of jobs in the private sector would be reserved for locals.

“Within two years of formation of the government, all vacancies in different government departments will be filled up with the youths of Jharkhand under the Local Policy,” the manifesto promised.

Unemployed graduates and post-graduates would be given an allowance of Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 7,000 respectively every month, it said.

Of the 81 seats in the state, the JMM is contesting in 43 while the Congress and the RJD are fighting in 31 and seven seats respectively.

The manifesto said, tenders of up to Rs. 25 crore would be reserved for the natives of Jharkhand only and “Bhoomi Adhikar Kanoon” (Right to Land Act) would be introduced to give land to landless people.

Land lying vacant for five years would be taken back and returned to the original owners, the manifesto said. “Within three months of government formation, the government will recommend to the Centre to incorporate Ho (a tribal language) in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution,” it said.

Banks for women would be set up in the state to provide loan up to Rs. 50,000 without any guarantor, the manifesto said.

An amount of Rs. 2,000 would be given to women from poor families towards kitchen expenses. For farmers, Kisan Bank would be set up, minimum support price (MSP) for agriculture produce and fruits would be earmarked, it said adding that the MSP for paddy would be between Rs. 2,300 and Rs. 2,700.

If the JMM formed a government, the manifesto said, it would not acquire agriculture land for private companies. The man-days under MG-NREGA would be increased to 150 days in a year, the manifesto said.

The Sachar Committee recommendations would be implemented for the benefit of the minorities, it said, adding Madarsa Boards and Urdu Academy would be set up.

Criticising the poll promises, Jharkhand unit’s BJP president Laxman Gilua said: “The JMM, Congress and the RJD are in alliance, yet they have different manifestos. Why did not they have a common manifesto?”

The five-phase elections in the state will be held between November 30 and December 20 and counting will take place on December 23.

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Tamil Nadu thrash Jharkhand by 8 wickets.

Source – indiatoday.in

Washington Sundar and M Siddharth spun a web around Jharkhand, as Tamil Nadu registered an eight-wicket win in their last Super League match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament here on Wednesday.

Left-arm spinner Siddharth (4-18) and off-spinner Sundar (3-10) ran through the Jharkhand batting lineup, as they bundled out the opposition for a paltry 85, which Tamil Nadu later chased down in 13.5 overs.

Jharkhand skipper Saurabh Tiwary’s decision to bat first was proven wrong by Sundar and Siddharth’s magic with the ball.

Tiwari (24 off 27 balls) and wicket-keeper Sumit Kumar (19 off 25 balls) were the only ones to show some fight, as the rest of the Jharkhand batsmen faltered in the crucial game.

Jharkhand were reeling at 29-3 and their innings never quite gathered steam, as Tamil Nadu picked up wickets at regular intervals.

Spinners have been delivering for their captain Dinesh Karthik and Wednesday was no different at the C B Patel ground.

Kumar Deobrat (1), Virat Singh (2), Supriyo Chakraborty (8) and Utkash Singh (5) fell cheaply, as Jharkhand’s wickets collapsed like a pack of cards.

Spinners R Sai Kishore (1-15) and Murugan Ashwin (1- 13) also played their parts to perfection.

For Tamil Nadu, the chase began on a horrendous note, as they lost their in-form opener C Hari Nishaanth (7) early.

They were also struggling at 35-2, as Jharkhand grabbed the wicket of Shahrukh Khan (24 off 28 balls).

However, Sundar (38 not out off 22 balls), promoted up the order, took the game away from Jharkhand with his whirlwind knock.

He smashed three towering sixes and stitched a match- winning unbroken 51-run stand with skipper Karthik (13 not out) to steer the side to victory.

The semi-final lineup will only be clear after the conclusion of the Punjab-Mumbai game, which will begin at 6.30 pm.

Brief Scores: Jharkhand 85 all out (Saurabh Tiwary 24, Sumit Kumar 19; M Siddharth 4-18) lost to Tamil Nadu 86/2 (Washington Sundar 38 not out, Shahrukh Khan 24; Utkarsh Singh 1-21) by eight wickets.

A Trailer to 2020 Bihar Polls, How Fight for Jharkhand is Already Drawing Battle Lines Within NDA.

Source – news18.com

Patna/Ranchi: All the allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seem to have cocked a snook at it in Jharkhand before the crucial state assembly elections, as they are crossing the swords against each other leaving the electoral battle free for all and posing a doubt on its electoral prospects and return to power once again.

The NDA stands fractured in Jharkhand as the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) party, the only official ally of the BJP in the state, is singing a different tune, while the Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), which are allies of the BJP at the national level and Bihar, are fighting the ensuing polls independently.

Though the BJP and AJSU party have not officially parted ways, the two are locked in electoral battle in 27 out of 81 assembly seats in Jharkhand as both the allies have not achieved seat-sharing agreement despite several rounds of talks held at different levels. Both allies have been part of the NDA coalition governments in Jharkhand since it was carved out of Bihar in 2000.

The BJP has not fielded any candidate against AJSU chief Sudesh Mahato from Silli assembly seat. The AJSU has returned the favour by staying away from Jamshedpur East assembly seat, where Jharkhand chief minister Raghuvar Das is the BJP nominee.

In 2014 assembly polls, the AJSU had won eight seats including Silli, Lohardaga, Tamar, Ramgarh, Chandankiyari, Tundi, Barkagaon and Jugsalai. The BJP this time was not willing to cede more than 12 seats to the AJSU.

The JD(U) has chastened the BJP by throwing its weight behind former Jharkhand minister Saryu Rai in the Jamshedpur East assembly seat. Rai, a longtime BJP leader, is contesting as an independent candidate against chief minister Raghuvar Das.

When his name did not figure in the BJP list of candidates, he announced to contest against the Jharkhand chief minister as an independent candidate. Rai has attributed his denial of ticket to his friendship with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who had released his book in 2017.

The JD(U) has already announced withdrawal of party’s official candidate from Jamshedpur East seat, Sanjay Thakur, and Jamshedpur West seat, Sanjiv Acharya, from the fray. However, Bihar chief minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar has refused to campaign in favour of Saryu Rai.

Rai has been raising the issue of corruption in Jharkhand despite being part of the Raghuvar Das government. A senior politician from united Bihar including the present Jharkhand, Rai has been instrumental in exposing the fodder scam against the then Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad.

It is learnt that besides the JD(U), the AJSU has also extended tacit support to Rai while the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has pledged him support in the election.

The BJP and the JD(U) are bound to wage a political battle against each other in Jharkhand. The JD(U) has so far announced 25 candidates of the total 81 seats. Jharkhand JD(U) president Salkhan Murmu, who is contesting from Majhgaon (ST) seat, said that the party was looking forward to contesting as many seats as possible, depending on availability of winnable candidates.

It is a known stand of the JD(U) that it would have alliance with the BJP only at the national level and in Bihar, while in other states it would contest the elections all alone. The ostensible purpose behind such stand is to increase its vote share and thereby achieve the status of a national party.

The JD(U) has been contesting the Jharkhand assembly polls even before the state was carved out of Bihar in November 2000. In 1995 assembly polls, when Bihar and Jharkhand were united, its parent outfit — the erstwhile Samata Party — could not win any seat from the South Bihar region, which later became Jharkhand. In 2000 elections, it won five seats from this region.

The Samata Party later merged with the splinter group of the Janata Dal-led by Sharad Yadav to become JD(U). In the 2005 assembly polls in Jhakhand, the JD(U) had won six seats out of 18 seats it contested. The number came down to 2 in the 2009 assembly elections when the party contested 14 seats and to naught in the 2014 assembly polls when party contested 11 seats.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is trying to make a ‘considered’ foray into Jharkhand with a carefully laid game plan as the opposition parties, including the Congress and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), are in complete disarray.

Senior leaders believe that party’s alliance with the BJP in Jharkhand has caused substantial damage to it as its members largely felt hemmed in by big brother BJP. In the past, its tall leaders like Inder Singh Namdhari and Radha Krishna Kishore had quit as they could not find space in the state politics. Party’s past experiment with leaders like Lalchand Mahato and Jaleshwar Mahato has also not yielded the desired political gains.

The JD(U) has decided to increase its footprints in smaller states by increasing the number of MLAs and percentage of votes to attain the status of national party by 2020. It will also fight the elections in Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. It is now recognised party in Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh.

LJP chief Chirag Paswan has also announced to contest 50 seats in the Jharkhand assembly elections. Though the LJP was keen on an alliance with the BJP in Jharkhand too, the saffron party was reluctant as its leaders believed that the LJP has not much to offer electorally in Jharkhand.

The conflict among the BJP, JD(U) and LJP in Jharkhand will certainly have its repercussions in the Bihar assembly elections due in 2020. The acrimony is bound to inflict bruises to the allies.

The Jharkhand elections will be held in five phases between November 30 and December 20 and the results will be declared on December 23.