India
oi-Pankaj Mishra
As
Jharkhand
gears
up
for
the
first
phase
of
voting
on
November
13,
election
fever
has
reached
its
peak.
OneIndia’s
team
set
out
on
a
journey
from
Ranchi
to
To
Seraikela
via
Jamshedpur
to
capture
the
pulse
of
the
region.
The
city
of
Jamshedpur,
once
the
industrial
capital
of
the
integrated
Bihar-Jharkhand
region,
remains
an
electoral
hotspot.
The
city
is
divided
into
two
assembly
constituencies:
Jamshedpur
East
and
Jamshedpur
West,
both
witnessing
intense
head-to-head
battles.
In
Jamshedpur
East,
Congress’s
candidate
Dr
Ajay
Kumar,
a
former
IPS
officer,
is
facing
off
against
BJP’s
Purnima
Sahu,
the
daughter-in-law
of
former
Chief
Minister
Raghubar
Das.
Meanwhile,
Jamshedpur
West
has
turned
into
a
“Clash
of
Titans” as
the
seasoned
Saryu
Rai,
representing
JDU
on
a
“Cylinder”
symbol,
squares
off
with
the
Congress-backed
Banna
Gupta
of
the
Mahagathbandhan
(Grand
Alliance).
Union
Home
Minister
Amit
Shah
addressed
a
rally
in
Adityapur,
on
the
outskirts
of
Jamshedpur,
drawing
much
of
the
BJP
and
NDA’s
resources
to
that
area.
Meanwhile,
in
other
parts
of
the
city,
the
BJP’s
campaign
energy
was
comparatively
lower.
Banna
Gupta
and
his
Congress
team
conducted
a
door-to-door
campaign,
while
Dr.
Ajay
Kumar
led
a
roadshow
from
Sanjay
Market
in
Birsanagar
to
Sakchi.
OneIndia’s
team
joined
Dr.
Kumar’s
convoy,
which
was
packed
with
enthusiastic
supporters.
The
roadshow
featured
six
campaign
vehicles,
an
open
jeep
with
the
candidate,
and
hundreds
of
supporters
on
bikes,
cars
and
on
foot,
all
chanting
slogans
and
displaying
their
loyalty
to
the
Congress
candidate.
In
an
interview
to
Oneindia,
Dr.
Kumar
stated
his
commitment
to
“public
service”.
His
campaign
focused
on
providing
quality
education,
employment
and
a
peaceful
environment
to
the
residents.
However,
gauging
the
mindset
of
Jamshedpur’s
voters
proved
challenging,
as
many
were
hesitant
to
express
their
views
openly.
Minority
groups
seem
to
be
fully
supportive
of
Congress,
while
the
business
community,
though
discreet,
appears
to
lean
towards
the
BJP.
The
youth
exhibit
some
interest
in
Congress,
but
the
women
voters
seems
more
inclined
towards
the
BJP.
The
undecided
lower-income,
Dalit
and
tribal
voters,
who
comprise
around
26%
of
the
state’s
electorate,
remain
a
critical
factor
that
could
tilt
the
balance
for
any
party.
An
interesting
pattern
Oneindia
observed
was
how
quickly
the
mood
of
the
crowd
could
change.
As
soon
as
Dr.
Kumar’s
convoy
passed
through
the
narrow
streets
of
Sakchi,
with
supporters
cheering
for
him,
others
began
chanting
pro-Modi
and
nationalist
slogans.
Among
them
was
Dinesh
Giri,
a
cycle
rickshaw
puller
whose
earnings
have
dwindled
due
to
the
rise
of
e-rickshaws.
Although
he
has
little
information
on
the
local
candidates,
he
expressed
a
preference
for
“Modi” as
the
best
option.
Infrastructural
development
is
not
a
major
issue
for
Jamshedpur,
given
its
established
industrial
base.
However,
inflation
and
employment
do
resonate
with
the
people,
albeit
without
the
zeal
one
might
expect.
This
election
seems
to
hinge
less
on
specific
issues
and
more
on
ideological
allegiance.
One
vegetable
vendor,
for
example,
told
us
he
cares
solely
about
“nationalism,”
and
that’s
why
he
only
sees
“the
Lotus.”
In
the
nearby
Sanjay
Market
in
Birsanagar,
we
caught
a
glimpse
of
Jharkhand’s
tribal
industry.
Women
from
the
Dalit
(Lohar)
community
sat
along
the
roadside,
making
and
selling
traditional
sal
plates,
cups
and
bundles
of
dried
wood.
These
women
explained
they
buy
leaves
from
the
forest,
make
them
into
plates
and
sell
them
in
the
local
market.
Their
survival
still
largely
depends
on
the
forests,
yet
they
receive
little
governmental
aid-just
a
few
kilograms
of
free
ration.
Despite
their
hardships
and
lack
of
campaign
attention,
they
vote
diligently
in
every
election.
The
Tribal
Belt
and
the
Historic
Seraikela
Further
down
from
Jamshedpur
lies
Seraikela,
an
area
steeped
in
cultural
heritage
and
known
for
its
distinctive
tribal
identity.
The
region
has
been
an
integral
part
of
Jharkhand’s
tribal
belt,
where
political
issues
such
as
land
rights,
tribal
autonomy,
and
protection
from
illegal
land
encroachment
hold
particular
importance.
The
residents
here
have
long
been
cautious
about
protecting
their
land
and
cultural
heritage,
especially
in
light
of
the
increasing
concerns
over
Bangladeshi
infiltration
that
has
become
a
central
election
issue.
Seraikela’s
history
dates
back
centuries
when
it
was
part
of
the
Seraikela-Kharsawan
princely
state,
known
for
its
rich
tribal
traditions
and
unique
identity.
Today,
it’s
a
part
of
Jharkhand’s
fight
to
maintain
its
cultural
essence
amidst
the
pressures
of
industrialisation
and
demographic
changes.
Infiltration
and
the
Tribal
Voter’s
Response
Across
this
region,
voters
are
wary
of
promises.
The
BJP’s
pitch
against
infiltration
has
found
traction
among
some
tribal
voters,
who
fear
losing
land
and
culture
to
outsiders.
Yet,
the
JMM-led
coalition’s
opposition
to
UCC
and
NRC
resonates
with
those
who
seek
tribal-centric
policies.
Both
parties
aim
to
appeal
to
the
tribal
belt,
but
for
these
voters,
the
choice
of
a
leader
remains
contingent
on
who
can
genuinely
assure
them
a
safe
future,
grounded
in
their
unique
identity.
