By Ujjwal Roy
Giridih (Jharkhand) [India], November 18 : Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate from Gandey constituency Kalpana Soren on Monday accused the BJP of failing to support the JMM government in its efforts to tackle key public issues.
Speaking to ANI, Kalpana Soren said, "BJP never stands with us in our fight over public issues. Be it the 27 per cent reservation for the backward, Sarna-Adivasi Dharam Code or the 1932 Local Resident Policy. We get it passed by the Assembly but nobody from BJP fights our fight for issues of Jharkhand. Today, if we are felicitating Maiya in Jharkhand then BJP's 'PIL gang' rushes to the fore. Our intentions are clear, we want to raise issues of Jharkhand and issues of social justice."
She said that the JMM government worked for the people despite a short tenure, including five months when Chief Minister Hemant Soren was in jail.
"Our intentions are clear. Had there not been a COVID crisis, we would have had full-time (tenure). But even in this shorter tenure, Hemant Soren was in jail for 5 months out of the 3 years of his tenure. The work done by the 2.5-year Government has been for every section...We want our youth to get jobs here. We want our government schools to further develop...The double-engine Govt closed thousands of schools. So, this shows their intentions. They didn't face any crisis in 5 years but we face everything and despite that our Govt is standing strong with the people of the state," she said.
Meanwhile, JMM ally and CPM leader Brind Karat specifically targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders for using the term "infiltrators," asking for whom they are using this word and what the EC is doing to address the issue.
Brinda Karat said, "The way PM Modi and other BJP leaders have campaigned here what is the EC doing? For whom are they using the word infiltrators? If there are infiltrators in Jharkhand then what were they doing for the past 10 years? They do not have any issues with the polls. They say that infiltrators have taken the land of tribals but it is actually BJP which is taking away the lands."
The Jharkhand Assembly election is taking place in two phases. The first phase was held on November 13, and the second phase is scheduled for November 20. The counting of votes will occur on November 23, and the results will be declared on the same day.