Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren has accused the BJP of using all its “big” leaders to spread communal narrative in the poll-bound state but warned that the saffron party would face a humiliating defeat in the Assembly poll.

Addressing a function to mark the release of the second instalment of financial assistance for women beneficiaries of Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Maiyan Samman Yojana at Bokaro district on Friday, Soren alleged, “Ever since our government was formed (in December 2019) the BJP has been trying to purchase MLAs and MPs in Jharkhand. They purchase leaders like vegetables in the market and have got enough money for such acts. But do not have money to waive off loans of farmers, provide pension to poor persons, provide grants for girl children and waive off arrears of electricity bills.”

Taking a dig at the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to Jharkhand later this month, Soren said: “As election approaches it seems entire BJP machinery is active in Jharkhand with their big leaders arriving in the state one after another and spreading the same communal narrative dividing on the lines of Hindu-Muslim, Adivasi-Christian. Let them try as much as they can, with your blessing our coalition government (JMM-Congress-RJD) will hand them a humiliating defeat in the Assembly poll.”

The Prime Minister is scheduled to flag off Vande Bharat trains from Tatanagar station and distribute government amount to beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in Jharkhand and dedicate infrastructure schemes in the state and also address a gathering on the station premises on September 15. Later, he would hold a 1.5-km-long road show at Jamshedpur, where he would address a public meeting.

Shah is scheduled to visit Sahibganj in Santhal Pargana on September 21 and launch the BJP’s parivartan yatra and would be accompanied by chief ministers of four BJP-ruled states — Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

The BJP has been focusing on alleged Bangladeshi infiltration and demographic changes in the Santhal Pargana region due to infiltration.

The central government had on Thursday informed the Jharkhand High Court that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants are living in the state. In an affidavit filed before a division bench of acting Chief Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Arun Kumar Rai, the Centre said Bangladeshis illegally entered Jharkhand through Sahibganj and Pakur districts.

The court was hearing a PIL on the conversion of tribals in the Santhal Parganas filed by Soma Oraon and another PIL filed by Daniel Danish on the illegal immigration of Bangladeshis. The next hearing of the matter will be held on September 17.