Hemant Soren addresses a rally in Rajnagar, Seraikela, around 38km from Jamshedpur, on Wednesday afternoon Telegraph picture

Arch-rivals in state politics, chief minister Raghubar Das and JMM working president and former CM Hemant Soren held rallies in Rajnagar block of Seraikela-Kharsawan, barely 38km from the steel city, on a blistering hot Wednesday afternoon, their attacks hardly less blistering at their venues separated by barely 4km.

Falling under Singhbhum Lok Sabha constituency, where BJP state chief Laxman Gilua is in direct combat against mahagathbandhan candidate Congress’s Geeta Koda, Rajnagar has 145 polling booths.

Das addressed a crowd of 1,000-plus at SS High School grounds from 3.50pm to nearly 4.10pm, Hemant spoke to over 2,000 at Rajnagar block office from 2pm to 2.20pm. Though Das as well as former CM Hemant are not fighting the parliamentary elections, as election managers of their respective camps, they both have high stakes in the outcome, which would impact the Assembly elections later this year.

Das, who took his inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah, played the national security card. “It is an election for the nation,” he said, appealing people to vote for Gilua to “strengthen the hand of Modiji”. “There are two types of alliances contesting this election, one is the Narendra Modi-led gathbandhan which wants to take the nation forward, while Congress-led gathbandhan wants to compromise on national security.”

Hinting at the Congress’s proposed NYAY, Das mocked that the Congress-led alliance ruled for nearly six decades without changing the fortunes of the poor much and now it was again crying to alleviate poverty.

Praising the achievements done in the last five years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Das said, “While strengthening country’s economy, our Prime Minister has always worked with commitment for the poor, the farmers, women and youth and this can be seen with villages having electricity, toilets, LPG gas connections and people with increased pension sums.”

Coming down heavily on JMM and Congress statements that BJP was bent on snatching tribal land, Das said, “There have been three Santhal CMs since the creation of Jharkhand but no one arranged education in Ol-Chiki (tribal script). My government did, till Class V.” He added, “The JMM has only looted tribals and most cases of CNT Act violations were by the Soren family. Our government has not taken an inch of tribal land. People should not be swayed by rumours.”

Hemant, in turn, ridiculed the BJP’s nationalist agenda. “Is it nationalism to overlook people’s interest? BJP has always attempted to change land tenancy laws, take away tribal lands and give them to corporates and outsiders. They are only interested in looting minerals from Jharkhand without thinking about tribal and original settlers,” Hemant said, urging voters to support gathbandhan candidate Geeta Koda. “Do not be swayed by false assurances made by BJP leaders as they have failed to keep their promises made before the elections of 2014,” he said.

JMM roadshow today

Jamshedpur: JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya on Wednesday said a roadshow on Thursday evening would be organised for the Jamshedpur gathbandhan candidate and JMM MLA Champai Soren from Agrico transport grounds. JMM working president Hemant Soren, JVM president Babulal Marandi and Congress state president Ajoy Kumar will be present at the event.