New Delhi: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress-RJD alliance seems to have got good support of the tribal voters in the state as the poll results suggest that the BJP’s experiment with a non-tribal chief minister has fallen flat.
The latest trends in the Jharkhand polls show that that JMM-Congress-RJD alliance is well on the way to form the next government in the state. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has influence over 26 per cent of tribal votes and minorities of the state.
In 2014, the BJP chose Raghubar Das as a non-tribal chief minister, the first time in the history of Jharkhand that a non-tribal was chosen for the top job. It’s a pattern the BJP established in Maharashtra and Haryana after winning state elections in 2014. The party picked Devendra Fadnavis, a Brahmin, in Maharashtra, ignoring the dominant Marathas, and a non-Jat Manohar Lal Khattar in Haryana.
Das’ appointment, sources said, sent out a message that the BJP does not care about Jharkhand’s tribals, and is challenging their supremacy.
However, in a belated action, BJP did appoint Arjun Munda as a cabinet minister, but the damage had already been done.
On the other hand, the JMM is believed to have its base among tribals and minorities, and as the results suggest, has emerged as a favourite among the voters in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly.
It remains to be seen what move the BJP adopts now. As of now the trends show that they are on the way out.
Agencies
