Ranchi, Dec 23 With the Grand Alliance comprising it, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) heading for a clear majority in 81-member Jharkhand assembly, the Congress seems to have hijacked the BJP’s slogan of ‘sabka saath’ with a top party leader saying they will take all parties together, even after forming the government.
As per the trends, the Grand Alliance was leading around 45 seats while the ruling BJP was leading on 27 seats in the mineral-rich, eastern state.
Speaking to reporters here, Congress state in charge R.P.N. Singh said: “Whatever is the outcome of the election, even if we form a government on our own, we will seek the support of other parties (except for BJP).”
He was respopnding to a question on if the poll verdict throws up a hung assembly in the state.
The BJP had raised the slogan of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ and ‘Sabka Vishwas’ ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
However, while on the opposition side, Congress’ old ally the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) of former Chief Minister and BJP leader Babulal Marandi contested alone, so did the BJP’s ally – the Sudesh Mahto-led All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU).
Singh’s homework, strategy and planning in the Jharkhand Assembly polls seems to have created a new chapter for the Congress in the tribal state. Inviting all the parties under its umbrella seems to be the Congress’ new strategy to include all parties in a bid to counter the saffron surge.
The Congress had forged an pre-poll alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra, but after the Shiv Sena opted out of the NDA in the state, the Congress and the NCP forged Maha Vikas Aghadi Maharashtra with it and formed the government.
Singh also reiterated that JMM leader Hemant Soren would be the next Chief Minister of Jharkhand.
“There is no doubt about it. Hemant Soren will be the CM. We have assured him (Soren) even before we forged the alliance with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM),” the Congress leader said.
On the impact of the ongoing countrywide protests against the NRC and CAA on the polls, Singh said that they affected the final two of the five phase election.
“PM (Narendra) Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and UP’s CM Yogi (Adityanath) tried to raise the temperature (of the polls) by taking their campaign to a new low. It would be interesting to see what is the final outcome of seats where polls were held in the last two phase,” the former Minister in the UPA government added
On the message coming out of the election results in Jharkhand, Singh said that the message is loud and clear that BJP is not bothered about growing unemployment, farmers distress and a countrywide economic slowdown.
“The Prime Minister never acknowledges there is an economic slowdown. The BJP, as a party, does not talk about corruption or related issues. I think these are the issues the BJP has to take note of or else they will continue to lose,” he said.
