Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and JMM chief and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren
The Congress is contesting elections to 30 assembly seats in Jharkhand, but due to its weak campaign, the Indian alliance may suffer a setback. The BJP camp also sees Congress as a weak link in the alliance with India. There are reasons for this too. Till the first phase of elections, two veteran Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, have held a total of 11 rallies together. This clearly shows that Congress is not putting the effort it should into the campaign. Therefore, due to the flexible attitude of the Congress in the Indian alliance itself, there is an atmosphere of fear that the Congress, which is contesting on 30 seats, may prove a failure in the formation of Hemant Soren’s government.
Considering the current situation of Congress in Jharkhand, discussions are also going on to repeat the history of 2020 in Jharkhand. In the year 2020, Tejashwi Yadav could not form the government. The reason was to allocate more seats than the political capacity of Congress. Tejashwi was trailing by just twelve thousand votes and the Congress, despite fighting for over fifty seats, was reduced to 17 seats. The same fear also haunts the India Block in Jharkhand. Till the first phase, Rahul Gandhi has held seven meetings and Kharge has held four meetings. The weak presence among the tribals and the presence of weak workers on the ground despite being in power for five years remains a cause of concern.
Priyanka’s absence increased tension
It is said that the weak Congress campaign may become a cause of trouble for Hemant Soren. The Congress had expected Priyanka Gandhi to campaign vigorously in Jharkhand, but Priyanka herself is the candidate in Wayanad. Therefore, his absence is becoming a cause of trouble not only for the Congress but for the entire India Block. A large crowd will attend Hemant and his wife Kalpana’s meeting, but the sparse presence of people at the Congress candidates’ meeting is raising concerns. It is said that a small number of Congress workers also seem to depend on Hemant Soren. Therefore, there is a huge shortage of hard work that should be done by workers on the ground.
Manifesto released one day before the first phase of the elections
The seriousness with which the Congress is fighting the Jharkhand elections can be seen from the fact that the Congress is releasing its manifesto just a day before the first phase of the elections. The first phase of the elections took place on May 13 and the Congress was seen releasing its manifesto on May 12 calling on the people to vote for the Congress. The BJP has expressed strong objection to this, calling it in contradiction with the Model Code of Conduct and has also lodged a strong complaint in this regard with the Election Commission. Releasing the manifesto just a day before the date of elections on 38 seats in the first phase, it is a question in itself whether the Congress would have been able to convey its message to the public properly or not.
The Congress was contesting elections for 17 seats in the first phase and in its manifesto, the Congress talked about implementing the Sarna religious code besides granting domicile as per Khatian of 1932. Not only this, besides providing 250 units of free electricity to the people of Jharkhand, the Congress has also stated in its manifesto that a caste census will be conducted. Obviously, the chairman of the Manifesto Committee, Bandhu Tirkey, should give his arguments on the manifesto, but its publication a day before the first phase of the elections clearly reflects the serious problems of lack of coordination within the Congress.
Even at the organizational level, Congress seems very weak!
The Congress has taken another big risk by changing the state president a few months before the elections. The situation is that the state committee has been dissolved, but Congress has failed to form a new committee. The old committee people are working hard for Congress. This is stated, but the great leaders of Congress are not able to answer how much hard work a leader and a worker can do without accountability.
Overall, the defeat in Haryana and the Congress’ victory in only 6 of 29 seats in Jammu and Kashmir tells the real story of the Congress Party. After the poor performance of the Congress, Omar Abdullah had harshly criticized the Congress. Therefore, the removal of Rajesh Thakur and handing over the responsibility of State President to Keshav Mahato a few months ago is not accepted by the people even within the Congress.
Why has the statement of the responsible Ghulam Ahmed Mir become a noose?
The statement by the Congress in-charge in Jharkhand, Ghulam Ahmed Mir, has become a sore point for the Congress. Ghulam Mir has promised to gift a cylinder worth Rs 450 not only to the local resident of Jharkhand but also to the insider. Obviously, this statement by Ghulam Ahmed is becoming difficult for the entire Indian bloc to defend. Therefore, the central leaders of the Congress are trying to save themselves by quoting the personal statement of Ghulam Ahmed Mir. But once the word leaves the mouth and the arrow leaves the bow, it can no longer be taken back. That is why Congress faces an embarrassing situation.
BJP Jharkhand in-charge Shivraj Singh Chauhan has made a big deal of this and has started using words about Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Kharge. Like the northeastern states, the BJP is also busy wooing the tribals by raising the issue of infiltration into Jharkhand. In this context, by raising the issue of Roti-Beti and Mati for the tribals, the BJP is busy helping the tribals in Santhal Pargana and other areas. In such a situation, in the middle of the campaign, for the Congress in office to talk about giving away cylinders at cheap prices to infiltrators is like scoring a goal in one’s own goal.
What a burden has the Congress become for the Congress-JMM?
Congress seems to be becoming a burden for JMM. It is clearly seen that in five years the party has not been able to strengthen itself even at the organizational level. Like great leaders, congressional workers also seem to avoid hitting the ground. Hemant Soren also went to jail on corruption charges, but many political analysts believe that Hemant going to jail can give him political strength.
According to political analyst Shyam Kishore Choubey, Hemant and Kalpana Soren have become heroes in Jharkhand. But it can be easily seen that Congress as a constituent party will prove to be a weak link due to lack of organization and leader. Obviously, be it the allegation of recovery of Rs 30 crore against Alamgir Alam or the news of recovery of Rs 350 crore from Dheeraj Sahu’s house, the Congress has not been able to find a solution.
‘I’m starting to see less of a companion and more of a burden’
Over the past five years, the scramble to become ministers within the Congress seems to be hollowing it out even further. This is the reason why, despite Champai’s exit from the party, Hemant Soren seems to manage to maintain a strong grip among the tribals, but there are rumors in the India Block itself whether the Congress will be able to reach the double-digit figure. Due to strong leadership and a poor organizational system, Congress now seems less of an ally of JMM and more of a burden. This is why many political analysts are predicting a major setback in Jharkhand’s election results due to the poor performance of the Congress.
Political analyst Dr Sanjay Kumar says the Congress is contesting 30 seats out of 81, while its campaign is below average. There is very little chance that Hemant alone can get the Congress over the BJP.
