In this political comedy, the BJP has the last laugh. Mandal Murmu, the election proposer for Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren from the Barhait assembly seat, was at the centre of high political drama after the Jharkhand Police chased and detained him some days ago on suspicions of joining the BJP.
He was subsequently released on the intervention of the Election Commission of India, but today he officially joined the BJP.
The poll battle in Jharkhand is turning increasingly acrimonious and shriller by the day, necessitating some comic relief, like parched land waiting for raindrops.
Mandal Murmu provided this moment when he joined the BJP in the presence of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, expressing faith in the party's ideology.
The BJP has entrusted Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Himanta Biswa Sarma with the responsibility of securing victory in Jharkhand.
Mandal Murmu, a resident of Bhognadih village in Barhait, Sahibganj district, is a descendant of the Santhal rebellion heroes Sido and Kanhu Murmu, who led the rebellion against the British East India Company in 1855-56.
While the impact of Murmu’s political realignment is subject to debate, the BJP has put the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Hemant Soren under pressure, already signalling that even tribal communities and descendants of martyrs have lost faith in Hemant Soren and his party.
In Jharkhand, where tribal legends and martyrs matter, their names evoke strong sentiment among the people. No political party can afford to offend even the descendants of such martyrs.
The JMM understands it is better to remain silent on this issue rather than attack the BJP for poaching or call Mandal Murmu an opportunist.
However, the BJP will continue to embarrass the JMM by portraying it as a party that cannot even win the trust of martyrs’ descendants.
“Chunavon me ana jana to laga rehta hai. Jiski jaisi aur jahan par shraddha hoti hai wah wahin jata hai,” said a JMM leader, reluctant to elaborate on the matter.
Can Mandal Murmu create trouble for Hemant Soren? Ankush, a resident of Sahibganj, says, “He would prove to be like an ant on the sleeve—enough to distract and irritate the opponent.”
When the JMM selected him as a proposer, they had a strategy to signal to voters that the descendants of Sido and Kanhu, as well as the entire tribal community of Santhal Parganas, stood with the JMM.
This was a well-calculated strategy to counter the BJP’s aggressive posturing on issues like the dwindling tribal population in Santhal Pargana districts, Bangladeshi infiltration, and subsequent land encroachment.
Even though the BJP is weak in Barhait, Hemant Soren did not take any chances and made defensive moves. Initially, the BJP announced former minister Louis Marandi as its candidate from Barhait, but within hours, she resigned from the party, citing her inability to contest.
She then joined the JMM, and Hemant Soren fielded her from the Jama seat.
Though the BJP may be weak in Barhait, its strategists know well where and how to trouble Hemant Soren.
A week after Hemant Soren filed his nomination from Barhait, the JMM became concerned about potential poaching by the BJP.
There was fear within the JMM that the BJP might recruit Mandal Murmu to contest against Hemant Soren.
A poll proposer—especially a descendant of legendary and highly revered martyrs—turning into an opponent would have been the most surprising political manoeuvre by the BJP in poll-bound Jharkhand, enough to embarrass Hemant Soren and the INDI alliance he leads.
Last week, when Murmu was travelling to Ranchi with two leaders of the BJP Yuva Morcha, police intercepted and detained him in Giridih.
A war of words erupted between the JMM and the BJP. While the JMM alleged that the BJP was attempting to abduct the proposer of their Chief Minister, the BJP accused the state police of illegal detention.
After reprimands from the Election Commission, Mandal Murmu was released, stating he was travelling to Ranchi of his own accord to discuss local issues with BJP leaders.
While Mandal Murmu has changed his colours from green to saffron, Himanta has given Hemant a headache named Mandal Murmu.
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