LS polls could only be formality: JMM

RANCHI: The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) alleged on Monday that the upcoming Lok Sabha elections could end up “just being a formality” and the Election Commission of India (EC) would announce the dates, “but it is the ED (Enforcement Directorate) that would conduct the elections”.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said it in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statements saying even people from abroad are sure he is up for a third term at the Centre. “The Election Commission is supposed to hold elections. But we can see that the EC (Election Commission) would merely announce the dates (of polling). It is the ED (Enforcement Directorate), which should be described as the Election Department, that would actually conduct the Lok Sabha elections,” said Bhattacharya.

Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement about receiving invitations from the heads of other countries, Bhattacharya said their leader, Hemant Soren, is also receiving calls from leaders of other states take up their fight.

“Our leader, Hemant Soren, is also receiving invitations from leaders of other states requesting that he takes up their fight after the 2024 elections, be it about their rights or the issues related to GST. It’s not sure whether you (PM) would go abroad or not, but Hemant babu would surely go across the country and take up this fight,” added the JMM leader.

Accusing the BJP of doing mere lip service for the tribals and Dalits of the country, Bhattacharya said while the saffron party claims to be well-wishers of the tribal community, they could not tolerate a tribal chief minister in the state.

“The Prime Minister said he respects Adivasis, but they do not want a tribal CM. They want a tribal as president but have confined her to the four walls of Rashtrapati Bhawan. The first Dalit president was kept away from the foundation of the Parliament,” he said.

HT couldn’t illicit a response from the BJP on the matter.

Meanwhile, JMM on Monday claimed that over the past 10 years, as many as 740 MLAs and MPs have joined the BJP against whom the saffron party had directly or indirectly leveled allegations of corruption.

“According to them, anyone in the opposition is corrupt, while those in BJP are clean. They have said those who are against the policies of the government are anti-national,” he added.

He claimed, “In the last 10 years, 740 MLAs and MPs, mostly from the Congress, have joined the BJP on whom the saffron party had directly or indirectly leveled allegations of corruption. These people are now their favourite.”

Taking a further dig at the BJP, Bhattacharya said the saffron party had once given slogan of ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’ and now it is ‘Congress Yukt BJP’.

BHATTACHARYA SAID WHILE THE SAFFRON PARTY CLAIMS TO BE WELL-WISHERS OF THE TRIBAL COMMUNITY, THEY COULD NOT TOLERATE A TRIBAL CHIEF MINISTER IN THE STATE