Political observers claimed that H (Hemant Soren) and C (corruption) factors dominated the political discourse in three Lok Sabha seats Godda, Dumka and Rajmahal in Santhal Pargana as campaigning for the last leg came to an end on Thursday.

Almost all the heavyweight campaigners of the BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, party national president J.P. Nadda, chief ministers from Chhattisgarh (Vishnu Deo Sai) and Madhya Pradesh (Mohan Yadav) harped on the ‘heaps of currencies’, usurping of lands and ghuspetiyes.

While JMM star campaigner and party candidate for Gandey bypoll, Kalpana Soren, wife of incarcerated former chief minister Hemant Soren along with cabinet ministers Basant Soren (Dumka MLA), Hafizul Hassan (Madhupur MLA) and chief minister Champai Soren stressed on the ‘arrest of Hemant Soren as part of political conspiracy’.

“In Santhal Pargana, tribals still revere Dishom Guru Shibu Soren and the arrest of his son Hemant Soren who represents Barhait assembly constituency from this region just prior to the polls and the narrative of wrongful arrest by Enforcement Directorate (ED) woven around by JMM leaders might lead to consolidation of tribal voters which along with minorities (Muslims and Christians) would lead to favourable situation for INDIA bloc candidates in all the three Lok Sabha seats which is headed for a close fight,” said Ranchi based political columnist Faisal Anurag.

‘Dishom Guru’ is a Santali term meaning “guru of the country (desh)”. It has been given to Shibu for his leadership and pivotal role in the movement against the Mahajani system of money lenders and the movement for a separate Jharkhand. Hemant was arrested by the ED on January 31 on alleged money laundering charges and is now under judicial custody.

“The BJP has made wresting of Rajmahal (which has been retained by JMM’s Vijay Hansdak even amidst Narendra Modi wave in 2014 and 2019) and retaining Dumka (both ST reserved seats) which has imprint of Shibu’s legacy (Shibu represented it seven times) a prestige issue which is evident by their last-minute announcement ticket to Sita Soren cancelling the ticket to the sitting MP Sunil Soren (who had defeated Shibu Soren in 2019). They have been consciously raising the alleged illegal mining detected by ED in Rajmahal (Barhait is part of Rajmahal Lok Sabha) and the arrest of Hemant Soren and recovery of notes from Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu and arrest of cabinet minister Alamgir Alam,” added Anurag.

“Whether arrest of Hemant Soren or corruption will swing the minds of voters in this tribal heartland will be known only on June 4,” said Anurag.

A senior journalist, however, said that the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal and subsequent bail for campaigning while recent incidents of Opposition leaders facing corruption charges and joining the BJP has minimised the party’s attempt.

“Tribals still consider the JMM symbol of bow and arrow as a symbol of their identity and the recent joining of opposition leaders facing corruption charges into BJP (including Sita Soren, eldest daughter in-law of Shibu Soren) have negated attempt of BJP to make corruption as an election issue among tribal,” said Gautam Chatterjee, a journalist based in Dumka.

Dumka is witnessing a close contest between Sita Soren of BJP and veteran JMM leader and Shibu Soren’s loyalist Nalin Soren while Rajmahal will have incumbent MP Vijay Hansdak in a triangular contest with BJP’s Tala Marandi and JMM rebel Lobin Hembrom.

Godda will see three-term MP Nishikant Dubey take on old rival Pradeep Yadav of the Congress.