BJP looks to make inroads in Soren citadel

RANCHI:THE three seats in Jharkhand going to polls in the last phase of 2019 Lok Sabha election will witness a direct contest between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the main opposition Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. The BJP is hoping to make inroads into the tribaldominated Santhal Parganas division, considered a stronghold of the Shibu Soren-led JMM.

Dumka and Rajmahal constituencies are reserved for candidates of Scheduled Tribes categories, while Godda is unreserved. While the BJP won Godda in 2014, the JMM won Dumka and Rajmahal — the only two of the state’s 14 Lok Sabha seats.

Soren has contested from Dumka 11 times and won in eight of those. The 72-year-old, arguably the biggest leader in the state, is in the ring again looking for his record ninth win.

Facing him is Sunil Soren, a former JMM legislator. In Rajamahal, outgoing MP Vijay Hansdak is in the ring again as candidate of the Opposition’s grand alliance —JMM, with Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik), Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal. In 2014, Vijay won against BJP’S Hemlal Murmu, a former MP. Murmu, a former JMM partyman, won from Rajmahal in 2004, and switched to BJP just ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha election.

The BJP, however, has an upper hand in Godda. Saffron party’s Nishikant Dubey has represented the seat since 2009 and is up against Pradip Yadav, a five-term legislator from Poraiyahat assembly segment. Yadav is general secretary of the Babulal Marandi-led JVM (P), which got the seat in seat sharing as the grand opposition alliance.

Political analyst LK Kundan said the seventh phase is critical for both fronts as it would have a bearing on assembly polls scheduled in November-december.

“If BJP is able to make a dent in Dumka and Rajmahal, it would claim that people have voted for development they have brought in the area and the electorate has rejected the traditional tribal leaders. And that could also lead to mass exodus of political workers into the BJP fold. For the Opposition alliance, losing these seats could change equations among the allies for assembly polls,” said Kundan.

DUMKA AND RAJMAHAL CONSTITUENCIES ARE RESERVED FOR CANDIDATES OF SCHEDULED TRIBES CATEGORIES, WHILE GODDA IS UNRESERVED