Q/ How do you rate the Raghubar Das government?
A/ In the past five years, I have never felt that there is a government in Jharkhand. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Centre gave 05 lakh crore to the state. But nothing has reached the common man. There have been starvation deaths. Farmers are committing suicide. Mob lynching has become common. The CM told the assembly that he had the mandate to do whatever he wanted to. It shows the arrogance of the man.
Q/ What are the key issues on which the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is reaching out to the voters?
A/ When I was chief minister from July 2013 to December 2014, my government initiated several important welfare schemes, which the people of Jharkhand still remember. We have the experience and the skill to run the government. I have served as chief minister, deputy chief minister and leader of opposition. I have seen closely how every department functions. We have a blueprint to run the government. Our manifesto has touched upon all major issues and our government will look especially into the core issues of water, forest and land (jal, jungle, jameen). We will take up tribal-specific tasks for the welfare of our tribal population.
Q/ Do you think tribal welfare measures were ignored by the outgoing government?
A/ Certainly. The BJP government even diverted funds of the tribal welfare department to construct roads and buildings. We have a tribal advisory council, which should only be headed by someone from the tribal community. But the chief minister, who calls himself a non-tribal, holds that position. The government acquired 21 lakh hectares, which has caused resentment among the tribal community. It even tried to amend the Forest Rights Act, which would affect hundreds of villages. The amendment bill was withdrawn just before the announcement of the elections, but the BJP government will bring it again, if it comes back to power.
Q/ Why no big leaders of the UPA have joined the campaigning?
A/ It is not true. I am campaigning for Congress and RJD candidates. We want to reach out to maximum number of voters. The BJP projects itself as united, which is not true.
Q/ Do you see any possibility of taking the BJP’s support if the situation so demands?
A/ The JMM will never indulge in the BJP-style politics of horse-trading, especially after what happened in Goa and Maharashtra. The BJP’s only target is to form the government. We are hopeful of getting two-thirds majority and ending the BJP tradition of horse-trading. I see a clear-cut majority for the UPA, but what happens in the future, nobody knows.
Q/ What is the impact of the Ayodhya verdict on the elections?
A/ The BJP spent its last term building Sardar Patel’s statue and now it is focusing on the Ram temple. But it is miles away from the teachings of Patel and Lord Ram. For the voters of Jharkhand, the temple is a non-issue, as they are more worried about their basic needs.
Q/ The state government has ordered a probe against you and your family for acquiring land illegally.
A/ It is shameful to order a probe barely a month before the elections. The government had set up a special investigation team soon after coming to power in 2014. Why don’t they first bring out the SIT report? Raghubar Das himself is facing corruption charges, his own cabinet minister has spoken about it in public. There have been scams in projects such as the construction of the assembly and the High Court buildings. Multiple corruption cases are pending in the High Court against the chief minister.