Tag: jmm

Slowdown will hurt Jharkhand: Chidambaram

Source – telegraphindia.com

The slowdown of the Indian economy will hurt Jharkhand because “another incompetent” person is heading the state government, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said here on Friday.

He said the Narendra Modi government had ruined the country.

“Indian economy is in a deep trouble. In February this year the growth rate was 7.4 per cent as per the RBI which slipped to 5 per cent and even less in less than 10 months. This economic fallout will adversely affect poor states like Jharkhand because another incompetent is heading the government in Jharkhand,” he said.

He said that the growth rate of Jharkhand is 2 per cent below the national average and the per capita income of the state is the third lowest in the country.

“The Prime Minister always talks about the double engine government in Jharkhand. Double engine is good if both engines pull in the same direction which is not the case in Jharkhand. In 2014-15 Jharkhand was burdened with Rs 43,000 crore debt which is Rs 85,000 crore now; 44 per cent of the industries have stopped production as per the data of Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy,” the former Union finance minister said.

He pointed out how a few months ago the Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce & Industries had put up billboards across Ranchi about the poor situation of trade, commerce and industry.

“The unit of Tata Motors remained closed for few days and so did other sectors like coal and steel in Jharkhand. That shows how pathetic is the condition. Jharkhand is the fourth state in terms of higher unemployment,” he said.

Chidambaram, who was released on bail on Thursday in an alleged corruption case, said in Jharkhand the Congress would form the government along with its alliance partners the JMM and the RJD.

“In Haryana the BJP was expecting 50 seats where we dented them. In Maharashtra we denied them power, and finally we will defeat the BJP in Jharkhand,” he said.

He called the Raghubar Das government the epitome of misrule.

“This government doesn’t know even if 20,000 people have died due to starvation. We had brought right of food and were giving 35 kg (of rice) per family which the Das government reduced to 5 kg. The Raghubar Das government has become synonymous with backwardness and incompetence,” said Chidambaram.

“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.

JMM finger at Ranchi MLA.

Source – telegraphindia.com

JMM, the main Opposition party in Jharkhand, on Monday demanded action against the BJP’s Ranchi MLA and urban development minister C.P. Singh for alleged violation of the model code of conduct, which the veteran of the saffron party denied as “baseless”.

Speaking to the media, JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya accused Singh of obstructing government officials from doing their work and trying to put forth a message that those who vote for the BJP would be allowed to get away with illegal deeds.

Bhattacharya also shared a copy of a letter signed by him that has been sent to the state chief electoral officer in this regard.

The letter says that when on November 30, a team of Ranchi Municipal Corporation was taking action against furniture shop owners who had encroached on public land in Chutia locality of the capital, Singh interfered and also tore up the fine receipts.

Asked to comment on the allegations, Singh told The Telegraph: “I had not gone to the spot and I didn’t obstruct anyone from doing any official work.” The minister claimed he was busy campaigning and couldn’t say much on someone levelling “baseless allegations” against him.

RMC officials also claimed ignorance of any such incident in Chutia on November 30.

RMC deputy municipal commissioner Shankar Yadav said he was personally present in Chutia on November 30 but no such incident had been reported by the team acting against the encroachers. “Had any incident taken place, an FIR would have been filed,” he added the RMC official. “Even during the weekly review meeting the same day, no RMC official mentioned any such incident.”

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.

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.

At Least Dozen MPs, MLAs in Touch With Me’: Ahead of Jharkhand Polls, Hemant Soren Calls BJP ‘Sinking Ship.

Source – news18.com

Former Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Hemant Soren is quite upbeat about the upcoming elections in Jharkhand. With just 11 days to go for polling day, Soren has claimed that at least one dozen MPs and MLAs from BJP are looking to jump ship and are in touch with him.

In an interview with News18, Soren spoke about whether the Supreme Court’s recent verdict on the Ayodhya land dispute will have any impact on the assembly polls, how talks with alliance partners are coming along, the effect of a five-phased election and veracity of claims that BJP is likely to collapse in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is soon expected to address rallies in Palamu, other national stalwarts of the party will also address the people of Jharkhand in campaign rallies where among other things, the Supreme Court’s recent Ayodhya verdict could be a talking point, does this worry you?

There is a place to talk about national issues. It is called Lok Sabha. That’s where people have given the BJP majority so that it can effectively deal with national issues. The upcoming elections are for the state of Jharkhand. If we also talk about national issues in these polls, then where will we talk about the issues of Jharkhand? In the campaign of Jammu and Kashmir or Gujarat?

Here people are dying of hunger, youths don’t have jobs, people don’t have money, banks are collapsing, infrastructure is nowhere. In all major indices, from hunger to education, Jharkhand has slipped under BJP Chief Minister Raghubar Das’ tenure. Since the state of Jharkhand was created, the last five years have been the worst, by far.

But you also raised these issues of hunger-related deaths, of forest rights etc, in Lok Sabha polls and they did not seem to have found any resonance with people.

It’s not as if these issues did not find any resonance with people. Look at the results of the five reserved Lok Sabha seats. BJP managed to just scrape through.

Why is your alliance (with Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal) dithering on the issue of declaring you as the CM face?

There is no confusion. Congress leader RPN Singh has clearly stated that Hemant Soren will be the CM face of the alliance. There is no confusion now. On the other hand you should ask the same question to BJP. Till very recently they used to say that Raghubar Das was their CM face. Why aren’t they saying this now? Why are they suddenly quiet on the issue? Ask them to clarify who their CM face is. BJP is a sinking ship.

Do you consider recent developments like their senior leader Sarayu Rai’s quitting the party, and their alliance partner AAJSU’s breaking ranks with BJP, as indicators?

It isn’t just that. You look anywhere and you’ll find that BJP’s Jharkhand unit is in a state of collapse. There is rampant infighting within BJP and open tussle with BJP’s alliance partners. Why are AAJSU, JD(U), LJP fighting these polls individually? There is pandemonium in BJP’s ranks. It is clear that they cannot carry alliance partners with them. And because of the arrogance of their top leadership, their old hands, who feel slighted, are trying to find a way out.

Are any of them in touch with you?

At least one dozen BJP MPs and MLAs have contacted me. They want to switch over. They know BJP is a sinking ship. Public sentiment is palpably against them.

How do you look at the decision by the Election Commission to conduct the polls over five phases?

For someone like us, a state political outfit, it is a huge challenge. For someone like the BJP, it wouldn’t matter much. They have unlimited resources and cadre which they shift wherever they want, however many times they want. Our worker cannot leave everything else and only do this. In other circumstances, it should have broken the morale of our workers but our morale is quite high. People are quite aggressive. Everyone wants to see the BJP out. There is no tolerance for the present dispensation.

And while as a political outfit we respect the decisions of the EC, to be honest, I don’t understand the logic of having the elections in five phases. The BJP kept talking about ‘double engine ki sarkar’ when they formed governments both at the Centre and the state. They talked about finishing the Naxals and bringing development to the state with double the speed. But now the EC itself has indicated, by conducting elections over five phases, that everything is not fine in the state; that the Naxal menace is far from over. They should admit that.

Almost every party is announcing reservation in poll campaigns these days. You have also announced 75% reservation in private jobs for youths and 50% reservation to women in jobs. Could you explain the logic behind this?

The decision to announce reservation in jobs for women isn’t new. I decided to do it when we were in power in our previous term but the successive BJP government decided against it. In our state women have been working really hard for their families. There are districts where women outnumber men. They are a significant working force. But when we see outside, we find, for similar job profiles, women from Kerala being referred to as ‘nurses’ and those from Jharkhand being referred to as ‘Dai’. It shames me. The same holds true for the youth, which today doesn’t have any jobs. If youths find jobs and get good education they will be able to help improve literacy levels in their districts and raise the employability of those around them as well. This is not about votes. This is about helping the future generations flourish.

Tejashwi Yadav had met you just before seat sharing was announced by you and the Congress. You had announced him as an alliance partner but RJD has reportedly been unhappy with seat distribution. Is RJD still on board?

RJD is very much part of the alliance. We are all working towards finalising our campaigning and soon you will see Tejashwi-jee campaigning with us.

BJP’s slogan this time is ‘Ab ki baar 65 paar’. How do you assess their position. Also have you set a target for the alliance?

Issuing and working in numbers are tropes of the business community. We have been a group of political activists. We don’t speak that language. We only talk about victory or defeat. We think we will win and win big.

Mahagathbandhan will come to power in Jharkhand: Congress leader Sanjay Paswan.

Source – indiatoday.in

Jharkhand Congress Working President Sanjay Paswan has claimed that the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ will come to power in the mineral-rich state as the people have witnessed that the BJP-ruled government has not been able to deliver on any front in the last five years.

When asked why being a national party Congress was contesting on lesser seats than a regional party like the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Paswan told IANS: “Congress always believed on coalition dharma. Wherever we think we are strong, we are contesting. We (JMM, Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal) share a same ideology.

“If they think we are afraid of the BJP, it is their misunderstanding. People of Jharkhand have seen them in the past five years. Infact, the BJP is themselves afraid of losing as they are contesting the elections in five phases. Once they said they will remove ‘Naxalism’ from our state, when they chaim it has been removed then why are the elections going four five phases?”

“They (AJSU) are more or less the same. I feel after the results they will again switch hands with them (BJP). We have seen them for last 19 years, we don’t know about them.”

If it comes to power, the Mahagathbandhan’s roadmap would be about taking Jharkhand on the top of the country, Paswan said.

“Firstly, we will provide employment to the youth of Jharkhand so we don’t have to go away from our state. The present BJP-led government did nothing for the youths except looting them. They have given all the mineral-rich lands to the industrialists who are getting benefitted while our youths are struggling for jobs.

“We will change whatever has happened. Every single person of Jharkhand will be happy when we take charge,” he concluded.

Jharkhand will go to polls in five phases from November 30.

Fighting in alliance with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Congress is contesting 31 of the state’s 81 seats, the JMM 43, and the RJD seven.

Jharkhand polls 2019: Congress leaves Ranchi for JMM to fight BJP.

Source – cnbctv18.com

In the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly polls, the state capital Ranchi seat is going to witness an interesting tussle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition alliance.

The BJP has been winning this seat for the past 29 years and this time the JMM backed by the Congress wants to wrest the seat away.

The BJP has been winning the seat continuously for the past six elections and this time the Congress has decided not to field its candidate, but to support the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate as part of the opposition alliance.

Although the Congress workers have opposed this, the party leadership decided to support the JMM candidate Mahua Maji. The BJP will continue with its sitting MLA S.P. Singh.

In the last Assembly polls, Singh had defeated JMM candidate Mahua Maji by around 59,000 votes, while the Congress candidate lost his security deposit after getting a mere 7,935 votes.

In fact, out of a total of 17 candidates who had contested the last election, 15 lost their security deposits.

The continuous poor performance on the seat forced the Congress to rework its strategy. And, finally, it decided to support the JMM candidate.

The BJP on the other hand has been winning this seat continuously since the formation of the state in 1990.

In 1995 Yashwant Sinha won this seat, but a year later he moved to Rajya Sabha. BJP fielded S.P. Singh from this seat then, and he has been winning this seat ever since.

A senior journalist from Ranchi, Sampurnanand Bharati said: “Ranchi is one of the prominent seats in the state and so all want to win from Ranchi.

“The Congress has withdrawn here in favour of the JMM. The BJP will be aggressive to retain this seat and there is a renewed vigour in the opposition alliance after putting up their one candidate.”

The elections in Ranchi will be held during the third phase of the Jharkhand polls, for which the notification came on Saturday.

The Ranchi district has five assembly seats — Ranchi, Silli, Kanke, Khijri and Hatia. The candidates can file their nominations till November 25.The Election Commission will do the scrutiny on November 26, and the candidates have the time to withdraw till November 28. The polls to these seats will be held on December 12.

Jharkhand Assembly elections: Congress leaves Ranchi for JMM to fight BJP.

Source – newindianexpress.com

RANCHI: In the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly polls, the state capital Ranchi seat is going to witness an interesting tussle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition alliance.

The BJP has been winning this seat for the past 29 years and this time the JMM backed by the Congress wants to wrest the seat away.

The BJP has been winning the seat continuously for the past six elections and this time the Congress has decided not to field its candidate, but to support the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate as part of the opposition alliance.

Although the Congress workers have opposed this, the party leadership decided to support the JMM candidate Mahua Maji. The BJP will continue with its sitting MLA S.P. Singh.

In the last Assembly polls, Singh had defeated JMM candidate Mahua Maji by around 59,000 votes, while the Congress candidate lost his security deposit after getting a mere 7,935 votes. In fact, out of a total of 17 candidates who had contested the last election, 15 lost their security deposits.

The continuous poor performance on the seat forced the Congress to rework its strategy. And, finally, it decided to support the JMM candidate.

The BJP, on the other hand, has been winning this seat continuously since the formation of the state in 1990.

In 1995 Yashwant Sinha won this seat, but a year later he moved to Rajya Sabha. BJP fielded S.P. Singh from this seat then, and he has been winning this seat ever since.

A senior journalist from Ranchi, Sampurnanand Bharati said: “Ranchi is one of the prominent seats in the state and so all want to win from here.

“The Congress has withdrawn here in favour of the JMM. The BJP will be aggressive to retain this seat and there is a renewed vigour in the opposition alliance after putting up their one candidate.”

The elections in Ranchi will be held during the third phase of the Jharkhand polls, for which the notification came on Saturday.

The Ranchi district has five Assembly seats — Ranchi, Silli, Kanke, Khijri and Hatia. The candidates can file their nominations till November 25. The Election Commission will do the scrutiny on November 26, and the candidates have the time to withdraw till November 28. The polls to these seats will be held on December 12.

Jharkhand Assembly polls: JVM-P announces third list of candidates.

Source – indiatoday.in

A day after JMM MLA Shashi Bhushan Samad joined the JVM-P, he was given a party ticket to contest from Chakradharpur (ST) seat for Jharkhand Assembly polls.

Samad’s name featured in the third list of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) announced on Sunday.

The JVM-P also fielded social activist Dayamani Barla from Khunti (ST) seat.

The other three candidates are Lohar Main Oraon (Sisai-ST), Dipak Karketta (Kolibera-ST) and Ramchandra Paswan (Jugsalai-SC), according to the list, a copy of which was released to the press.

JVM-P president and former chief minister Babulal Marandi has already announced that his party will contest on its own, breaking away from the oppositions ‘Mahagathbandhan’ that had been announced before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Samad joined the JVM-P on Saturday after Sukhram Oraon was given JMM ticket to contest from Chakradharpur (ST) constituency.

The five-phase Assembly polls in Jharkhand are scheduled between November 30 and December 20 with counting taking place on December 23.