Too many seats for Congress in Jharkhand seat-sharing? ‘Weak campaign’ makes allies worry

The Congress is contesting 30 of the 81 Assembly seats successful the Jharkhand elections, 17 of which voted successful the archetypal signifier connected November 13. Chief Minister Hemant Soren-led JMM is contesting 42 seats, the RJD six, and the CPI(ML)(L) three.

Even the Congress manifesto was missing till a time earlier voting for 43 seats successful the archetypal phase. Now the enactment faces a ailment filed by the BJP with the Election Commission (EC) accusing the Congress of having violated the 48-hour soundlessness play earlier polling.

Congress workers admit it is hard to warrant the hold fixed that the INDIA bloc had already announced its “guarantees”. “How could the promises beryllium conveyed to voters successful the seats that went to polls successful the archetypal signifier of elections successful specified a abbreviated time, particularly erstwhile canvassing was closed for that phase?” a Congress person said.

Apart from half-hearted run efforts, the Congress combat has been hamstrung by astonishment organisational changes conscionable up of the polls. Hours aft the EC had announced the canvass docket successful August, the Congress changed its authorities enactment chief.

Rajesh Kumar, who was appointed successful 2021, was replaced by erstwhile three-time MLA Keshav Mahto Kamlesh. Meanwhile, the authorities enactment committee that was dissolved arsenic portion of the alteration is yet to beryllium reconstituted nether Kamlesh. Only the erstwhile media compartment is inactive functioning.

Party spokesperson R K Sinha admitted that it was not yet wide erstwhile the caller committee volition beryllium formed, but added that the office-bearers and workers of the erstwhile committee are engaged successful the campaign.

While apical JMM campaigners Hemant and Kalpana Soren person betwixt them held 60 rallies, Congress prima look Rahul Gandhi has addressed a full of 7 meetings truthful far, counting Friday. Congress nationalist president Mallikarjun Kharge has addressed 4 more. “Seeing the stock of the Congress successful the confederation (seat-sharing pact), its leaders should person addressed much rallies,” a JMM person said, wondering if the Congress got “many much seats successful proportionality to its spot successful the state”.

A root successful the Jharkhand Congress said that contempt this constricted number, the enactment has failed to make crowds. “People, particularly tribals, privation to perceive to Rahul ji, but helium has travel to lone a fewer places. Local tribals are not capable to link with Kharge ji, who astatine a rally started speaking astir Karnataka,” the root said.

The different campaigners for the enactment see Ghulam Ahmad Mir, an MLA from distant Jammu and Kashmir, and Congress Jharkhand in-charge and Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi. The root said Mir has been much engaged holding organisational meetings portion Pratapgarhi could beryllium utilized better. “Imran has received a bully effect with his sarcastic shayari (poetry). The enactment should nonstop him much to Muslim-dominated areas wherever the BJP is raising alleged infiltration arsenic its biggest canvass plank,” the root said.

Even smaller INDIA partners RJD and CPI (ML) L person done amended than the Congress. If the JMM is campaigning for candidates crossed the confederation parties, RJD person Tejashwi Yadav excessively has stepped successful for Congress and JMM nominees.

“Rahul and Kharge ji are nationalist faces and they should person visited the seats of allies excessively to nonstop a connection of unity successful the INDIA bloc,” a JMM person said.

While the RJD is simply a much loyal person of the Congress, a person of the enactment excessively expressed exasperation astatine the Congress efforts. “The Congress cadre is anemic here. The enactment did not utilise the accidental of being successful powerfulness successful the authorities to make dedicated workers connected the ground, particularly successful tribal areas. Every Congress idiosyncratic present considers himself a person and they bash not privation to enactment connected the ground. Largely, their run is babelike connected the JMM and RJD. Congress candidates excessively are demanding programmes with the Soren mates and Tejashwi ji,” said the RJD leader, asking wherefore Gandhi did not code much rallies owing to his “strong connect” with audiences and speeches that deed the BJP hard.

Officially, the JMM said determination were nary problems. Spokesperson Tanuj Khatri said: “Hemant Soren is the person of the INDIA confederation successful Jharkhand. The JMM and different allies are contesting unneurotic successful coordination and cooperation. Everyone is doing their champion to guarantee a triumph for the INDIA alliance.”

Congress spokesperson R K Sinha denied the claims of a “weak campaign”, accusing the BJP of spreading mendacious rumours.

On the alleged deficiency of coordination with allies, Sinha denied that the Congress was not campaigning connected the seats of partners. Congress wide caput Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who has been engaged successful her ain run successful Wayanad, which voted connected November 13, is expected to run successful the Santhal Pargana portion for the 2nd signifier of polling, Sinha said. Local Congress units were already doing truthful for allies successful their respective constituencies, helium said.

However, aft J&K, galore apprehend what is coming next. In J&K, wherever the Congress lacklustre run had attracted the ire of state National Conference, the enactment won lone six seats of the 29 it contested successful the J&K Assembly elections.