Days after joining the Janata Dal (United), veteran Jharkhand leader and independent MLA Saryu Roy said that the upcoming Assembly election would not be a cakewalk for any political party.
“Whatever issue BJP is raising is strong. Similarly, [Chief Minister] Hemant Soren has made native an issue, playing between insider and outsider, hoping to get the benefit of it. Though he has started several schemes for women, I do not think the administration is capable enough to execute it properly, there are several loopholes. This election is not a cakewalk for any political party in Jharkhand,“ he said, adding that it was going to be a tough fight.
Slamming the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government, Mr. Roy alleged that Mr. Soren had no control over corruption and government.
“It is hard to understand in which direction the government is working. The government is not functioning on its basic tools rather emotions are being used to run the government,” he said.
Crusade against corruption
Mr. Roy asserted that the definition of corruption had changed. Without naming anyone, he said, “The mainstream political parties are welcoming those leaders who are involved in the corruption cases. In today’s scenario, the area of corruption is limited as people are using it according to their own wish and desire. Even though someone is very corrupt but cannot do anything because now they are part of it and someone who is less corrupt, people try to make them bigger.”
Mr. Roy is considered an anti-corruption crusader credited with exposing scams that led to the conviction of at least three Chief Ministers — Jaganannath Mishra, Lalu Prasad and Madhu Koda. He can once again play a crucial role in Jharkhand for the JD(U) at a time when the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is raising the issue of corruption in the present government after the release of Mr. Soren in money laundering case.
When in the BJP, he had raised the issue of alleged corruption against his own government. Now, he has returned to the NDA fold, joining the same people he had found fault against.
The 73-year-old MLA from Jamshedpur East had earlier defeated incumbent Chief Minister Raghubar Das in the 2019 Assembly election
“I did not leave BJP in 2019; it was the BJP that separated me and I contested as an independent candidate and won the election. Now, Nitish Kumar ji is with the NDA and he has a share in the State and Central government. As I have joined JD(U) and if there would be any differences or anyone raising a question, Nitish Kumar will look after it and he is one who will give a response,” Mr. Roy told The Hindu.
JD(U)‘s place in Jharkhand
Asked about the plan to revive JD(U), Mr. Roy said, “It is not my responsibility to revive JD(U) in Jharkhand. I just had a talk with Nitish Kumar ji who asked me to join the party. JD(U) already has an organisation in Jharkhand and once they become active, JD(U) will revive itself. I don’t have any such responsibility.”
After Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar as a separate State in 2000, the JD(U) had a measure of success in the State. In the first Assembly election held in 2005, the party, as an ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the time, fielded 18 candidates and won six seats with a vote share of 4%. Later, the number came down to two in 2009 and zero in the subsequent Assembly election.
Talking about the possible reason for JD(U) losing its ground in the State Mr. Roy said, “I think people associated with the party did not make much effort to strengthen the party and the absence of senior leaders who later joined other parties and some passed away is another reason. Bihar became the priority of the party and [they] did not pay much attention in Jharkhand. Now, the election is there and at present nothing much can happen.”
