Development Politics of INDIA Alliance Outshines Divisive Agenda in Jharkhand, But Fails in Maharashtra
FROM THE ASSEMBLY election verdict, it is quite interesting to note that, on one hand, the development politics of the INDIA Alliance triumphed over the hate-driven, divisive, and highly polarized campaigns of the BJP in Jharkhand but grossly failed in Maharashtra.
While the INDIA Alliance can celebrate its success in Jharkhand, it must engage in serious introspection regarding its political debacle in Maharashtra.
The INDIA Alliance has a good reason to celebrate, as Jharkhand has broken a 24-year pattern of failing to re-elect an incumbent government. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led INDIA coalition secured a commanding victory, achieving a two-thirds majority despite the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) divisive and aggressive campaign tactics. This outcome is clearly indicative of a strong social coalition, supported by a range of welfare programs.
Political analysts suggest that the success of initiatives like the Maiya Samman Yojana played a crucial role in enabling the JMM-led coalition to defy the state’s longstanding trend against re-election.
The BJP’s campaign strategy, which cantered on the removal of “infiltrators” from the Santhal Parganas region, seemed ineffective in countering the ‘Adivasi’ appeal leveraged by the JMM, particularly in light of the public’s response following the arrest of Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
Hemant Soren and Kalpana Soren
The current political environment in Jharkhand is notably defined by the collaborative efforts of Hemant Soren and Kalpana Soren, who have been colloquially dubbed ‘Bunty aur Babli‘ by the BJP.
Following a significant electoral triumph for his party and its allies in the Assembly elections, Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed his gratitude to the citizens of the state.
In a statement to the media on Saturday evening, after this historic win, Soren asserted, “We are poised to establish the legacy of ‘Abua Raj, Abua Sarkar’ (Our rule, our government) in Jharkhand.”
He remarked, “This election was unprecedented. The people have never witnessed such a contest in the democratic history of the state. We have successfully met the challenges of democracy,” emphasizing the enthusiastic participation of the populace in the democratic process.
Ghulam Ahmad Mir, the national general secretary and Congress in-charge for Jharkhand, who was also in attendance, commended the political acumen of the state’s voters. He noted, “Our coalition effectively showcased the achievements of the past five years while offering a progressive vision, whereas the opposition failed to engage the electorate with their agenda, revealing a total lack of substantial groundwork.”
On the message of the verdict for the BJP, Aditya Menon, Political Editor of The Quint, said, “The message for BJP from the Jharkhand verdict is that the party can still be defeated if it is up against a strong regional leader, particularly one who isn’t afraid of providing a counter-ideology to Hindutva.
Hemant Soren’s strong pro-tribal pitch and his promotion of Sarnaism managed to counter BJP’s so-called ‘ghuspetiye’ campaign. Soren also effectively used welfare schemes for women to counter anti-incumbency. These are important lessons for BJP as it prepares to face other strong regional leaders like Arvind Kejriwal in 2025 and Mamata Banerjee and MK Stalin in 2026.”
On the Jharkhand verdict, VVP Sharma, Consulting Editor at New India Abroad, USA, said, “The tribals of Jharkhand did not tolerate BJP’s communal campaign agenda. The party failed to understand the tribal sentiment. Incendiary statements from leaders like Himanta Biswa Sarma, who raised issues of ‘ghuspaitiye’ and ‘batenge to katenge’ and ‘land jihad‘ to polarize tribal votes on an anti-Muslim platform, backfired.
The Jharkhand tribals, with their history of struggle for their identity, did not take kindly to the BJP addressing tribals and non-tribals as ‘Hindus.’ The vote for JMM is the tribals’ response to the arrest of Chief Minister Hemant Soren by central agencies. The Maiyya scheme complemented by the strong support of tribal women voters played a significant role.”
Also Read: A Bitter Battle: The Rise of Communal Rhetoric in Recent Elections
“Unlike Maharashtra, the INDIA Alliance won the Jharkhand Assembly election due to a combination of strategic unity among alliance partners, effective campaigning, and socio-political factors that resonated deeply with the electorate. The leadership of Hemant Soren, despite challenges, played a pivotal role, with his arrest generating a significant sympathy wave, galvanizing support across rural and tribal regions. The aggressive campaign by Kalpana Soren further strengthened JMM’s outreach, particularly among women voters,” said Afroz Alam, political expert and Head of the Department of Political Science at MANUU, Hyderabad.
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“Tribal consolidation became a cornerstone of the victory, as JMM managed to retain the loyalty of its core tribal base while expanding its appeal through targeted promises addressing issues of land rights and welfare. Meanwhile, the entry of Jayram Mahto’s party led to a division of the Mahto community vote, weakening the opposition’s base,” said Alam.
Hemant Soren
“The Jharkhand results are very encouraging for the INDIA block. They offer lessons for both the BJP and the INDIA block. For the BJP, once again, polarization has not worked. For Congress, if the party communicates with its coalition partners at the right time, it yields results,” said Mujeebur Rahman, political analyst and author of Shikwa-e-Hind: The Political Future of Indian Muslims.
On the lessons for Muslims after the assembly election verdict, Shahid Siddiqui, former Member of Parliament, said, “Indian Muslims must evolve a new strategy to empower themselves and secure their future generations. Most political parties have failed to either protect them or empower them economically or educationally, or provide social, legal, and constitutional justice. What that strategy should be requires practical, rational thinking, without resorting to abuse or condemnation. The educated and financially stronger Muslim middle class must play a proactive role. Secular, liberal Indians must also come forward and devise a strategy, as electoral politics is using them to gain power without genuinely empowering or helping them.” 
Also Read: Keep the Communal Pot Boiling
Mohd Naushad Khan
The writer is a Delhi based journalist, presently working for weekly magazine, Radiance Views weekly as a Sub-Editor and also contributing articles to other national publications.
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