Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren heading a JMM-Congress-RJD government exuded confidence in retaining power in the 2024 elections while launching a scathing attack on the Opposition (BJP) of relentlessly conspiring to topple the elected government in the state.

Addressing a function to mark the distribution of 5,000 job letters to youths in Palamau district on Tuesday evening, Soren who will be completing four years as chief minister in December this year (came to power in December 2019), said: “Since one hour after the formation of the Central government the opposition people (BJP in the state) are dreaming of forming the government. They have even made so many people chief ministers in their dreams. But whenever they conspired they had to face defeat.”

Incidentally, Soren had during public rallies in the past accused the BJP-led Centre of unleashing federal agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), IT and CBI behind leaders of ruling parties to intimidate and disturb the government.

Soren had also been summoned by the ED over alleged money laundering charges in a land scam case but is yet to appear before the directorate.

“What did these anti-Jharkhandi people sitting in the opposition do for the last 20 years? They licked the state like termites and never worked to connect people with their rights. When we give rights to people, these dishonest people call us corrupt. Nothing is going to happen with the lies, conspiracies and rumours of these people,” said Soren.

“We are a people who fight, die and perish for the interest of Jharkhand. These conspirators (BJP) have been ousted from power now, and will be ousted from this state in the times to come (hinting at 2024 Assembly polls),” added Soren.

Continuing to attack the central government, Soren said: “We requested the Central Government to provide housing to the people of our state, but they did not even respond to our request. Therefore, by making a new scheme, we are going to connect more than 8 lakh people with the Abua Awas Yojana. The houses under these schemes will be bigger than the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).”

“Non-BJP ruled states are being given step-motherly treatment. The Central Government should not do this with the State Government. This is not the face of democracy,” alleged Soren.