RANCHI: After being denied a seat in Bihar by the Mahagathbandhan during the Assembly elections, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has begun exploring political opportunities in other tribal-dominated states across the country.
As part of this move, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is scheduled to visit Assam on Tuesday ahead of the Assembly elections likely to be held in April.
According to party sources, during his visit Soren is expected to assess the ground situation and discuss possible strategies for contesting the polls while interacting with local party workers. Soren will spend the night of March 10 in Assam and return to Ranchi on March 11.
During his visit, Soren will also attend an Iftar event near Tezpur in Sonitpur district, besides addressing a conference of JMM party workers in Vishwanath district.
Notably, Soren had also visited Assam in February. During that visit, while emphasising the rights of the nearly seven million tribal people—particularly the Munda, Oraon and Santhal communities—living in Assam’s tea gardens, he demanded Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for them. He had also assured the tribals living in Assam that their problems would be addressed.
Soren also assured the tribals from Jharkhand living there that tribal people from Jharkhand would come to Assam to support them if required.
Political experts, however, believe that Hemant Soren's frequent visits are linked to the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam, likely to be held in April-May.
Notably, despite being a key coalition partner in the Bihar Assembly elections, the RJD did not concede a single seat to the JMM, while the Congress also remained silent on the issue. Later, the JMM decided not to contest the Bihar Assembly elections, claiming that the decision was taken in the wake of a “political conspiracy” by its allies RJD and Congress, which deprived it of seats as part of the Mahagathbandhan.
Earlier, during its 13th General Convention held in Ranchi in April last year, the party had announced that the JMM would increase its political activism on selected seats in Assam, Odisha and West Bengal as well. Party leaders had also said they were planning to contest elections in Assam by mobilising migrants from Jharkhand living there.
To achieve this, the JMM is working rapidly to establish its presence in various parts of the country, aiming to become a national party. It is also preparing to field candidates in the West Bengal Assembly elections and strengthen its position in other states.
According to sources, the party is working on a strategy to shed its image as a regional party and emerge as a national party. In this regard, the party plans to expand its presence in Delhi, West Bengal, Assam and Chhattisgarh.
Although the party has not officially confirmed anything, sources indicate that offices will be opened in other states to expand its operations. Preparations for the expansion are already underway.
Notably, after its resounding victory in Jharkhand, the JMM also plans to open an office in New Delhi.