The Seraikela Assembly seat in Jharkhand which has one of eastern India’s largest industrial zones but still witnesses a large-scale migration in search of jobs has witnessed an “exchange of candidates” of two major parties making up a close fight on the cards.
The ST-reserved seat is catching the attention of former chief minister and one of JMM’s patriarch Shibu Soren’s trusted associates, Champai Soren, who joined the BJP a few months back citing “humiliation” at his removal as chief minister.
He has now locked horns with former BJP ST Morcha state treasurer Ganesh Mahali who has been contesting against Champai on the BJP ticket defecting to the JMM prior to polls.
“We have a five-term MLA who has not only adorned the chair of chief minister but also has been cabinet minister twice, but unfortunately youths have to migrate to big cities for jobs despite the region boasting of an industrial hub. There is no irrigation facility and farmers have to depend on tube wells and pumps to irrigate land. There is not a single degree college. The problems are endless. Why should we continue to vote for him?” asked Sukhram Tuddu, 42, a tribal farmer and a businessman.
The Seraikela seat has the Adityapur Industrial Area which is eastern India’s largest industrial zone spread over 33,000 hectares. It boasts of over 1,500 ancillary and industrial units.
Sushil Agarwal, a chartered accountant who manages his food-processing unit at the Adityapur Industrial Area, feels that the industrial area needs a lot of infrastructural development. “It lacks even the basic requirements for industries like road connectivity and parking facilities. There is no provision for piped water supply and one has to be dependent on tube wells and bore wells to meet industrial water requirements. There is not a single testing lab for food processing units. These are problems which should have been looked after by our MLA, but unfortunately, it has been neglected,” Agarwal said.
Surendra Mardi, a farmer in Rajnagar, the biggest block in Seraikela-Kharsawan district feels that irrigation facilities should have been there for the farmers. “Lack of irrigation facilities is our main problem which should have been addressed by our MLAs who have been representing the seat for so long. We would go for a change this time,” he said.
Champai is the fifth-term MLA from this constituency and has been banking on tribals, mostly Santhal voters (comprising 34 per cent), to retain the seat.
“This time majority of the Santhal and tribal votes will not be going for Champai as they look at the BJP with suspicion. Even the BJP cadre votes will be split between the Jharkhand Krantikari Loktantrik Morcha (JKLM) and Ganesh Mahali who has been with the party for so long. We might see a very close fight this time,” said Pitamber Soy, a journalist with a vernacular-based newspaper in Rajnagar.
In 2014, Mahali lost by a margin of over 1,100 votes against Champai while in 2019 he lost by over 15,000 votes.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Mahali exuded confidence of victory. “I will win this time as people from all sections have benefitted from popular welfare measures of the Hemant Soren government. The tribals are solidly with the JMM,” said Mahali.
Champai too claimed victory. “There is a huge rush of support wherever I go. People know me personally in each panchayat and the welfare measures of the BJP-led Centre for tribals is also known among people. BJP is the only party which thinks about tribal dignity,” said Soren.
- Seraikela votes on November 13
