JMM executive president Hemant Soren in Bokaro on Tuesday said the Opposition’s mahagatbandhan seat-sharing in Jharkhand for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections would be fixed within a week.
He predicted the BJP would lose badly this time. “The BJP won the 2014 elections on a wave but after five years of misdeeds both at the Centre and the state, such a situation has developed that it (the BJP) is not going to win even one out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand,” Hemant told the media. “Jis prakar BJP 2014 mein janata ka vishwas jeet kar chunav jeeta aur usi ke saath unhone vishwashghat kiya, wo janata hee BJP ko sabak sikhayegi (The way the BJP won the election in 2014 by winning people’s trust but later betrayed them, the same people will teach a lesson to the party),” he added.
Dispelling speculations of sparring Opposition allies in Jharkhand, Hemant said, “There are no differences between JMM, Congress and JVM. Although all parties have internal issues, they are likely to be settled within a week and we will come out with a seat-sharing arrangement for all 14 Lok Sabha seats very soon.”
Asked specifically on the contentious Godda seat where the Congress, JVM and JMM have staked claim for different reasons, he said, All the differences will be sorted out mutually and we will come up with a final arrangement very soon. Talks with Babulal Marandi have already been held.”
He added, “Congress president Rahul Gandhi has issued a statement to the media that the Congress will fight both Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in alliance with the JMM.”
Hemant met Sangram Singh, son of former BJP local MLA Samresh Singh, at a hotel in the steel town, but did not clarify if Singh was joining the JMM.
Hemant alleged the Raghubar Das government was oblivious to the problems of the displaced. “We demanded a holistic solution with a displacement commission. But the Raghubar Das government is not at all interested.”
On the JMM’s poll agenda, he said, “Not one but many issues. Deprivation of the Adivasi (tribal), moolvasi (native residents), Dalit, soshit (exploited), pidit (deprived) during five years of BJP rule. Youths forced to leave Jharkhand due to lack of jobs. People dying of hunger. Farmers dying for the first time in Jharkhand under BJP rule. A state government busy snatching the rights of residents through changes in rules related to forest and land rights,” he said.
He also alleged the lengthy election schedule spanning seven phases seemed to be aimed at benefiting the BJP. Many Opposition parties believe since the Muslim community would fast during the month-long Ramzan (expected to begin on May 6), the percentage of votes from the community on May 6, 12 and 19 would be lower.
