Ranchi, Oct 15 (PTI) The BJP, which lost power to the JMM-led alliance in Jharkhand in 2019, is looking to reclaim its position in the tribal-dominated state.
The party plans to challenge the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) by highlighting corruption allegations against Chief Minister Hemant Soren and other opposition leaders.
Meanwhile, the JMM-led coalition, supported by Congress, is focusing on welfare initiatives like the Maiyan Samman Yojna and Abua Awas Yojna, as well as appealing to tribal sentiments, to secure victory in the upcoming polls. Voting in Jharkhand will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, the Election Commission said on Tuesday.
Here is a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of BJP:
Strengths
* Aggressive campaign by BJP leaders including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others, who have promised a range of welfare schemes to appeal to voters. BJP won 37 seats in 2014 with a 31.8 per cent vote share but it was reduced to 25 in 2019. This time, it has partnered with its old ally AJSU Party. Despite 25 seats in 2019, its vote share was 33.8 per cent as compared to 19 per cent of the JMM which got 30 seats.
The BJP is focusing its campaign on issues such as Bangladeshi infiltration and corruption, citing ongoing ED and CBI raids on leaders of the JMM-led alliance, including Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who spent five months in jail related to a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. The party is also highlighting law and order issues, crimes against women, and demographic changes as part of its strategy.
The BJP is looking to cash in on its development plank, unveiling projects worth thousands of crores in the state.
JMM leader and former Chief Minister Champai Soren, who has a considerable stronghold in the tribal belt, joined the BJP. Congress' lone MP from Singhbhum (ST) constituency, Geeta Kora, too embraced the saffron party. In addition, Jama legislator Sita Soren, Independent MLA Amit Kumar Yadav from Barkatha assembly segment, and the lone NCP legislator in Jharkhand, Kamlesh Singh, also joined the saffron party.
WEAKNESSES:
Voters could be influenced by the JMM-led coalition, which has blames the BJP for the recent political crisis in the state following the arrest of CM Hemant Soren in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. His wife Kalpana has formally joined the JMM and won the byelection from Gandey. She has emerged as a popular leader.
BJP’s internal rumblings and lack of coordination among leaders.
OPPORTUNITIES:
A weak opponent facing corruption and infiltration charges could present the BJP with a chance to win a majority of the Assembly seats.
THREATS:
* Twenty-eight of the 81 assembly seats are reserved for ST candidates, and the opposition INDIA bloc may play the victim card over the arrest of CM Hemant Soren, who belongs to a tribal community.
Aggressive campaigning and welfare programmes by JMM leaders including Jharkhand Maiyan Samman Programme and Abua Awas Yojna.
Infighting within the BJP might play spoilsport for the party.
* India bloc comprising mainly the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the Congress alliance banks on "tribal sentiments" specially after the arrest of CM Hemant Soren. Soren has been alleging that the saffron party was all out to destabilise his democratically elected government by unleashing central forces like Enforcement Directorate and the CBI.
Here is a SWOT analysis of JMM-Congress
STRENGTHS:
* The arrest of Hemant Soren by the ED is set to arouse tribal sentiments as JMM-Congress is playing the victim card with tribal voters largely believing that the CM was arrested on false charges. The ruling alliance has been accusing BJP for his arrest.
* The ruling alliance, comprising the JMM-Congress, has implemented several welfare schemes aimed at benefiting the people directly, such as Maiyan Samman Yojna providing financial assistance to women, Aapki Yojna, Aapki Sarkar, AapkeDwar, universal pension, sports and education schemes, Abua Awas, and food security schemes. These initiatives could enhance their popularity among voters.
* The JMM-led coalition government passed a resolution in the Jharkhand assembly in November 2020 seeking inclusion of Sarna as a separate religion in the Census and sought Centre's intervention for recognition of a separate Sarna Religious Code.
* INDIA bloc partners will try to corner BJP on the 1932-land records based domicile policy as the state government passed the 1932-Khatian based domicile policy that is pending with the Governor.
WEAKNESSES:
* Former Chief Minister Champai Soren, legislator Sita Soren, lone Congress MP from the state, Geeta Kora, and some other prominent leaders embraced the saffron party.
* There are internal rumblings among INDIA bloc members who are yet to finalise the seat sharing among partners.
* Fissures within the Congress and JMM were evident from time to time. Earlier, eight of the 12 disgruntled MLAs had rushed to Delhi demanding new faces in the Jharkhand cabinet.
OPPORTUNITIES:
* Kalpana Soren has emerged as a powerful leader after the arrest of her husband.
* 28 tribal seats where it has a significant edge.