Campaign ended on Monday for the first phase of assembly polls in Jharkhand and bypolls in Wayanad parliamentary seat and assembly seats across several states with leaders making strong efforts to woo the electorate.
Priyanka Gandhi is making her electoral debut from Wayanad, the Lok Sabha seat won her brother Rahul Gandhi, who decided to retain the party’s traditional seat of Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh.
Jharkhand will go to the polls on two phases on November 13 and 20. Forty-three seats will go the polls in the first phase.
Campaigning in the state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and accused him of “humiliating” Champai Soren.
“Champai Soren has been loyal for so many years, standing with Hemantji, but how he was humiliated and removed is not just an insult to Champai Soren but an insult to the entire tribal community. The main issue was that Champai Soren stated that corruption should stop, but the JMM was not willing to end it,” he alleged.
The Union Minister further said that if BJP is voted into power in Jharkhand, a law would be brought to prevent the transfer of land to “infiltrators,” even if they marry tribal women.
“The illegal immigrants are taking up the jobs meant for tribals of the state… The infiltrators are dangerous for our daughters, our resources, and our land… When we form the government, we will bring a law that will prohibit the immigrant from registering tribal land in his name, even if he marries a tribal girl. We will make the immigrant give back the acquired land.”
Shah also accused Hemant Soren of vote bank politics and said “Bangladeshi infiltrators” were coming to the state.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also alleged that mafias are rapidly growing in Jharkhand and claimed that only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can ensure both security and governance in the state.
Adityanath cited the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh and highlighted how the authorities were strictly dealing with the miscreants.
“Mafias are flourishing in Jharkhand. Uttar Pradesh is right next to you. Go and see; no one will play with the law and order because if someone does so or tries to disrupt a festival, then the ticket to Yamraj is booked. (The accused are dealt with very strictly). Whether it is security or good governance, only the BJP can provide it,” CM Yogi said while addressing a gathering in Bhawanathpur.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also took a dig at the Congress Hemant Soren.
He addressed a public gathering in Chinia in Garhwa district.
“Even during the difficult times of British rule, Birsa Munda did a great job from the land of Jharkhand but it is unfortunate to say that Congress and Hemant Soren are hungry for power…,” he said.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a road show in Ranchi and two rallies–one in Bokaro and another in Gumla–where he slammed Congress and its allies for “attempting to create a divide between SCs, STs, and OBCs.”
Congress leaders including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi also campaigned in Jharkhand in the run-up to the first phase of polling.
Congress on Sunday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against the BJP, accusing the party of posting a misleading
advertisement on social media that contained false information about the leaders of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Indian National Congress (INC), and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Following the complaint, a FIR has been registered at the cybercrime police station in Ranchi for violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) guidelines over a video posted on a social media handle of the BJP’s Jharkhand wing.
Sources said FIR no 176/24 dated 10.11.2024 has been filed at the Ranchi cybercrime police station for violation of MCC guidelines and extant legal provisions
Additionally, the cybercrime police station Ranchi, in a letter dated 10.11.2024, requested social media platforms to remove the objectionable posts under Section 69(A) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh hit out at BJP, saying that the party’s campaign is “devoid of issues” and focused solely on “communal polarization”.
“The INDIA coalition’s campaign in Jharkhand is centred around our government’s achievements in the last five years and our seven guarantees – ranging from enhanced food rations to honorariums for women and new degree colleges in each block. We are focused on our governance and our vision for a just, inclusive, and prosperous Jharkhand,” he wrote on X.
“The BJP’s campaign is devoid of issues and focuses solely on communal polarisation. It is an indictment of the Union Government’s performance that after ten years in power, the BJP is seeking votes only on religious polarisation. The non-biological PM has failed miserably to fulfil the promises he made to the state over the past ten years. Worse, he has denied almost Rs 1.4 lakh crore, which is legitimately due to Jharkhand on account of coal royalty,” the Congress leader added.
Jairam Ramesh said the people will reject BJP in the assembly polls.
“On November 13th and 20th, the people of Jharkhand will vote decisively for continuity, communal harmony, social justice, and self-dignity. They will reject the wholly negative and disgusting campaign of the BJP,” he said.
Meanwhile, a roadshow was held in Sultan Bathery, Wayanad that included Priyanka Gandhi Rahul Gandhi, who is Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, was also present.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is contesting against Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate Satyan Mokeri and BJP’s Navya Haridas in the by-polls.
Chelakkara Assembly seat in Thrissur district is also going to the polls on November 13.
A total of 34 seats will see bypolls on November 13. Bypolls will also be held for West Bengal’s six assembly seats–Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, Taldangra, Sitai and Madarihat
Earlier, 48 constituencies were scheduled to go to for bypolls on November 13, but the Election Commission of India rescheduled the poll date in 14 Assembly constituencies in three states — Kerala, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh — to November 20 following “large-scale social, cultural and religious engagements” of people from various communities.
