Student leader Jairam Mahato’s newly formed Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) has caused concern among established parties in the ongoing Jharkhand Assembly polls with increasing popularity among youths, especially the Kurmi (Mahato) community.

The Kurmi Mahato community, or the Kurmi community, to which Jairam belongs, is considered to be a moolvasi or native community of Jharkhand. Jairam’s primary political plank is the advocacy of the community’s rights.

“It may not win a large number of seats, but JLKM could eat into more established parties’ (BJP, JMM, Ajsu and Congress) support base, particularly among the Kurmi Mahato voters who comprise around 22 per cent of the population,” said Ranchi-based political columnist Sudhir Pal.

For over two decades, electoral politics in Jharkhand has been dominated by two regional parties, the JMM and the All Jharkhand Students Union (Ajsu) and two national parties, the Congress and the BJP.

In the last Lok Sabha elections, Jairam and his party colleagues contested independently because they could not register their party by the stipulated deadline.

They performed creditably. Jairam contested from the Giridih constituency and got 3,47,322 votes, finishing in third place after the BJP and JMM. In Ranchi, his colleague Devendra Nath Mahato also came in third, with 1,32,647 votes.

The JLKM has fielded 73 candidates in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, more than any political party this time.

“We are in the election fray for the first time and are confident of winning at least 9-10 seats but will have an impact on a large number of seats. Jairam is attracting the attention of youths from all communities, not only the Mahatos,” said JLKM central committee member Gokul Mukherjee.

“Although the party is just three months old, its leader’s popularity, particularly among the Kurmi Mahato community, is giving established parties reason for concern since it could eat into their votes,” added Pal.

According to political observers, while the community’s votes are spread across parties, the Ajsu, an ally of the BJP, draws crucial support from it and thus will be the most affected by any such gains the new party makes.

“Since Ajsu has a large base amongst the Kurmi Mahatos, it stands to suffer the most because of JLKM cutting into their votes in the upcoming election, it might also impact JMM and BJP affecting both NDA and INDIA bloc,” said Pal.

Voters feel that the new party could benefit from growing disenchantment with established regional parties.

“We have seen the same parties in power for many years, like JMM and Ajsu. Many are thinking this time that there is a new face in politics, raising issues that are close to us, why not give him a chance?” felt Bhagirathi Mahato, a voter from Patamda in Jugsalai (SC) Assembly seat which went to polls on Wednesday.

If the JLKM wins even a few seats, in the event of a hung Assembly, it could have an outsized impact on deciding who forms the next government in Jharkhand.

“We have been approached by leaders of both the BJP and the Congress, but we haven’t made any commitments yet,” said Jairam Mahato.