In a pointed critique ahead of Jharkhand’s municipal elections, BJP state chief Aditya Sahu accused the Hemant Soren government of plotting to manipulate outcomes through administrative overreach. Speaking to reporters in Ranchi on Saturday, he demanded immediate intervention from the State Election Commission to safeguard the process.
The polls for 48 urban local bodies, set for February 23 after a protracted three-year delay triggered by court orders and opposition protests, are under the spotlight. Sahu insisted that fair play is non-negotiable in this democratic exercise, where every voter deserves unhindered participation.
He lambasted the choice of ballot papers over electronic voting machines, arguing it opens doors to tampering. State police handling security arrangements further fuels suspicions, especially with the BJP’s unresolved call for central paramilitary deployment. Party delegations had flagged numerous vulnerable polling stations via formal submissions, but no concrete action followed.
Sahu painted a picture of simmering public discontent gathered from extensive grassroots interactions across the state. Despite the apolitical tag on civic races, partisan support for contenders is evident, positioning these votes as a referendum on governance failures.
‘People are in no mood to forgive; they want to send a stern warning,’ he declared. Rallying citizens to vote massively and boldly, Sahu reminded law enforcers of their oath to remain neutral. As campaigns peak, the outcome could reshape local power dynamics and foreshadow state-level shifts.