'Dance of dynasty': BJP, JMM accuse each other of 'parivarvaad' in Jharkhand election candidate list

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the assembly elections in Jharkhand, the BJP and JMM are locked in a blame game accusing each other of ' dynasty politics '. While the JMM accused the BJP of engaging in a similar practice by fielding candidates who are relatives of former chief ministers, the saffron party has responded with the same coin.

The ruling JMM on Tuesday released its first list of 35 candidates for the next month’s assembly elections, retaining 21 MLAs including five ministers.

Referring to the JMM list, which features Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren , his wife Kalpana Soren and brother Basan Soren, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma criticised the ruling party, saying," The JMM's candidate list clearly reflects dynastic politics." He further suggested that the JMM lacks diversity in its selection, fielding candidates with familial connections.

The BJP's state spokesperson, Pratul Shah Deo labeled the JMM as a party of "parivarvaad" (dynastic politics). Referring to the candidate list as a "dance of dynasty," he said, "This is what 'parivarvaad' looks like. It’s the dance of dynasty. We have learned that three members of the 'family' have been given tickets so far, and one more is in line".

"When 3-4 members of the same family contest elections, they are candidates for posts from CM to ministers to MLAs - this is the dance of dynasty," he said according to news agency ANI.

The BJP spokesperson further expressed confidence that the JMM government will be ousted from the state after the elections.

"Did they not have workers, that he (CM Hemant Soren) had to field his brother, his wife and another relative? I think they have sensed people's mood this time. People are going to oust them this time. I don't think Hemant Soren government is going to return to power this time," he added.


'Balanced list'
However as the BJP accused it of 'dynasty politics", JMM party leader Manoj Pandey trashed BJP's charge and called the party's list a 'balanced list'.

"This is a balanced list. This was finalized after a lot of discussions and deliberations. I think all of them have the capability to win. JMM's strike rate this time will be 90%. We will certainly win 90% of the seats this time, if you add alliance numbers to that, we will have more than 60 of our MLAs this time," he told news agency ANI.

JMM, also has relentlessly attacked the saffron party leaders for promoting one particular political family at the top post. In its initial list of candidates, the BJP has named Meera Munda, Geeta Koda, and Purnima Das Sahu. Meera and Geeta are the wives of former chief ministers Arjun Munda and Madhu Koda, respectively, while Sahu is the daughter-in-law of ex-CM Raghubar Das.

JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said, “Never in the history of BJP has a father and his son been fielded together in the same election. It is usually seen that when someone from a family is contesting the Lok Sabha election, the other is fielded in the assembly election.”

JMM also criticised the BJP’s ally, Ajsu Party, for similar practices. Sunita, wife of Ajsu’s Giridih MP Chandra Prakash Choudhary, has been nominated from Ramgarh, while BJP has put forward Choudhary’s younger brother Roshan Lal Choudhary for the Barkagaon seat in Hazaribag.

“This shows BJP and the NDA’s scarcity of candidates,” JMM had said.

The 2024 Jharkhand Legislative Assembly election is scheduled to be held in two phases from 13 November to 20 November to elect all 81 members .