Ahead of Assembly elections in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav issued a warning about the alleged impact of Bangladeshi infiltrators on the state's demographics. In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Mr Yadav, who is campaigning for the BJP in Jharkhand, claimed that to put a stop to the alleged rise of Bangladeshi infiltrators in the state, his party must win the state elections.
"Because of Bangladeshi infiltrators, Jharkhand's demographics have changed. The tribal population used to be 44 per cent but now it has come down to 32 per cent. What is the reason? Bangladeshi infiltrators," Mr Yadav told NDTV.
Mr Yadav claimed these shifts had affected not only the tribal communities but also Jharkhand's Hindu population, which he stated has decreased by 7 per cent while, in his view, the Muslim population has grown by 4 per cent. "To save Jharkhand and root out infiltrators, it is imperative that the BJP forms the government in the state," he said.
Attacking Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Mr Yadav accused him of failing the state's people, alleging that his administration was marked by unfulfilled promises and governance missteps. "Hemant Soren went to jail, and his government has only made false promises. The people of Jharkhand know this," Mr Yadav said.
The BJP on Sunday released its Sankalp Patra (manifesto) for the Jharkhand Assembly elections on Sunday. Unveiled by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Ranchi, the manifesto launch saw the presence of senior BJP leaders, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Elections in Jharkhand are scheduled in two phases, with polling on November 13 and November 20 and vote counting on November 23. In the 2019 election, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) won 30 seats, the BJP secured 25, and the Congress took 16.
Chief Minister Soren speaking at an election rally in Khunti district, accused the BJP of using divisive tactics to further its political goals. Mr Soren alleged that the BJP "fixes its agenda" by targeting specific communities to deepen societal divides. He argued that the BJP was focusing solely on Jharkhand's resources rather than the welfare of its people. "The BJP is only interested in money and mineral resources of the state. They have nothing to do with 'Mati, Beti and Roti' (land, daughter, and bread)," he said.
Mr Soren also criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, pointing out Mr Sarma's regular involvement in Jharkhand's politics while remaining silent on sensitive issues elsewhere, such as alleged atrocities against tribal women in Manipur. Mr Soren accused BJP leaders of "spreading the poison of communalism" and "spreading only lies" about their promises, suggesting that the BJP's promises, like providing gas cylinders at Rs 500, lacked consistency across BJP-ruled states like Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar.
