Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren exuded confidence in returning back to power in the 2024 Assembly polls and cautioned masses not to fall prey to the BJP’s tactics of communal division for electoral gains.

Addressing a gathering at Sarath in Deoghar district during the foundation laying ceremony of the Rs 484.35 crore Sikatiya mega lift irrigation scheme on Monday evening, Soren said: “For 20 years this state was ruled by the Opposition (BJP) but they failed to take the state on the path of development. However, we are trying to take the state towards development and they (BJP) are trying to pull my leg through different means. But they do not know that their conspiracy will not succeed as crores of people of Jharkhand are with me.”

“Today we have laid the foundation stone and in 2024 we will start water supply through pipelines to reach farmers' fields in the upland through pumps. In the coming years, our government will provide water supply to fields even in high altitude areas so that farmers get water supply throughout the year,” said Soren, showing confidence in retaining power in the state.

Soren, who is heading a JMM-Congress-RJD coalition government in Jharkhand, accused the opposition led by the BJP and its ally Ajsu of spreading lies about him being corrupt.

“Opposition parties are calling me corrupt. They do not feel ashamed of repeating the same lies daily. They do not know our government has the support of adivasis, moolvasis (original settlers) and minorities. This was seen in the recent bypoll at Dumri where the Opposition candidate got a drubbing,” said Soren.

In the recent past, Soren had alleged that his repeated demand for outstanding royalty dues has led to the Centre unleashing federal agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against him.

The chief minister skipped the ED’s fifth summons in Ranchi last week over alleged money laundering charges pertaining to a land scam and instead approached Jharkhand High Court challenging the ED summons. The case has been listed for October 11.

Soren launched a scathing attack indirectly on the BJP for falling back on communal politics for electoral gains across the country.

“These conspirators in the Opposition parties in Jharkhand only do politics in the name of Hindu-Muslim. Will our stomachs be filled by doing Hindu–Muslim? Can we get jobs by doing Sikh-Christian? We will get jobs only by taking out vacancies and bread can be great by enabling irrigation facilities for the farmers. The Opposition parties only know how to spread the poison of communalism in society. However their ploy has not succeeded in the states where people do not fall prey to their communal agenda,” said Soren.

The comment came amid reports of injuries to Bajrang Dal (youth wing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad) members when their bus was pelted with stones by a mob on Sunday night. The Bajrang Dal members were returning to Hazaribagh after participating in the Shaurya Yatra in Ranchi. The incident took place near a mosque in Hazaribagh.

Hazaribagh SP Manoj Ratan Chothe said that police were investigating the incidents and arrests would be made only after a probe. He claimed that a particular community had alleged that the bus stopped in front of the mosque and the passengers shouted provocative religious slogans.