Tribal instincts

JMM, BJP are promising plenty of cash & looking to corner adivasi vote, but differently

As the battle for Jharkhand heats up, both INDIA and NDA blocs are promising to spray cash around. BJP’s manifesto – released yesterday – pledges to fill up 2.87L vacant posts in govt, provide financial assistance of ₹2,000 to graduate and post-graduate students for up to two years, and launch a ‘Gogo-Didi’ scheme promising ₹2,100 per month assistance to women. Governing JMM-Congress alliance, meanwhile, has launched the Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana, ensuring women aged 15-20 get ₹1,000 per month – which will be enhanced to ₹2,500 per month. The key battle here is for the tribal vote. Tribals account for 26.2% of Jharkhand’s population with 28 reserved ST seats out of the total assembly strength of 81. 

Sarna Code vs UCC | BJP has promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code in Jharkhand, but keep tribals out of its ambit. However, JMM’s been pushing for a separate Sarna Code for adivasi communities. JMM’s pitch worked in Lok Sabha polls where INDIA bloc won all five reserved ST seats in the state. BJP’s tack has always been to integrate tribals into the Hindu fold. The Sarna code directly challenges this by solidifying a separate tribal religious identity. 

Illegal infiltration issue | Again with an aim to wooing the tribal vote, BJP has been raising the issue of illegal Bangladeshi migration into Jharkhand, buoyed by a PIL in Jharkhand HC. The petition claims illegal migrants residing in the Santhal Parganas region. BJP says only it can safeguard Jharkhand’s tribals from being overwhelmed by such migration. 

Trump card Soren | Hemant Soren’s arrest and subsequent release in a land scam case has galvanised JMM and INDIA bloc. Add to this Hemant’s wife Kalpana Soren emerging as an effective campaigner, especially in terms of mobilising women voters. Per local pundits, this gives the INDIA alliance a slight edge going into the polls. But with BJP’s significant hold over OBCs and upper caste voters, this one’s going down to the wire. 

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