JMM does politics in name of 'tribals', but tribal population decreasing in Jharkhand: BJP's Babulal Marandi

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], November 10 (ANI): Jharkhand Bharatiya Janata Party President Babulal Marandi hit out at the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha government in Jharkhand, and said while the party does politics in the name of tribals, the population of tribals is decreasing in the state.
Speaking to ANI, Marandi alleged that the Jharkhand Chief Minister has never raised the issue of infiltration in the state with the Centre.
"They do politics in the name of tribals. He is the CM of the state; he allots voter IDs and Aadhar cards to them and also allots land to them and when we talk about infiltration, he straight up refuses...If people were illegally entering his state, he never raised it before the central government on the routes being used and the areas being used for settlement. The population of tribal in this place is decreasing," the BJP leader added.
Speaking further, the former Chief Minister exuded confidence in his party forming the government in Jharkhand.
"The Bharatiya Janata Party is far ahead. NDA alliance is ahead. And this time you will see after the election results. Under the leadership of the BJP, a strong coalition government will be formed," Marandi said.
The 81-member Jharkhand Assembly will go to polls in two phases on November 13 and 20, with vote counting scheduled for November 23.
A total of 2.6 crore voters, including 1.31 crore male voters, 1.29 crore female voters, 11.84 lakh first-time voters, and 66.84 lakh young voters, are eligible to cast their votes.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) won 30 seats, the BJP secured 25, and the Congress won 16. In 2014, BJP won 37 seats, JMM won 19, and Congress secured just 6 seats. (ANI)
Earlier, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday questioned the timing of the Income Tax (I-T) department's raids on his associate, suggesting such actions had become increasingly common since 2014.
During a press conference, Soren raised concerns about the functioning of investigative agencies in the country, particularly in the run-up to the state elections.
"Income tax conducted raids on the premises of my associates. I don't need to say much about this because I have spoken many times about the condition of constitutional agencies. The whole country is watching on which parameters they are working and against whom they are working," Soren said. (ANI)