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Amidst the huge controversy regarding ticket distribution within the politics of Jharkhand and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Chief Minister Hemant Soren has taken a shocking and historic decision, which has shocked everyone, from political pundits to opponents. From a diplomatic and strategic point of view, everyone was expecting that a member of the Soren family would contest from the traditional and highly prestigious seat of ‘Guruji’ Shibu Soren, the founder of JMM and the tallest leader of the state. But Chief Minister Hemant Soren has completely demolished this established belief and age-old myth and has expressed confidence in a non-family face Baidyanath Ram. This unexpected step of Hemant Soren is being considered as the biggest ‘masterstroke’ of Jharkhand politics so far, which has given a completely new turn to the internal democracy and electoral equations within the party.
The deep diplomacy behind fielding Baidyanath Ram in the stronghold of Soren family
It has always been believed within the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha that Shibu Soren’s legacy and his selected traditional seats will be monopolized only by his family members. This time too there was a lot of talk in the political circles that an inside member of the family or a son or daughter-in-law would be fielded from this seat in the election season. But Hemant Soren, showing his burning political acumen, approved the name of Baidyanath Ram. Baidyanath Ram is considered to be a highly experienced, down to earth and organizationally strong leader, who has a deep influence on the voters of his area. By giving him the ticket, Hemant Soren has tried to convey the message that for the party, the candidate’s ability and ground hold are of paramount importance and not just family background.
Hemant Soren destroyed the opposition’s biggest narrative of ‘familism’ in one stroke.
Political analysts believe that this decision of Hemant Soren is going to become a huge defensive and offensive weapon against the main opposition party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). BJP has been continuously accusing Jharkhand Mukti Morcha of being a ‘familyist party’ and targets the Soren family in every election rally. By making a prominent non-family leader Baidyanath Ram a candidate for the most important seat of Guruji Shibu Soren, Hemant Soren has deflated the entire ‘familyism’ narrative of the opposition. Now, during the election campaign, JMM can say with full strength and courage among the public that they give importance to ability and dedication, due to which the opposition camp has to think afresh to make a counter strategy.
Well thought out social engineering to solve the caste and regional equations of Jharkhand
If this big decision is seen from the perspective of social and caste fabric of Jharkhand, then it appears to be a part of a very careful social engineering by Hemant Soren. By putting forward the name of Baidyanath Ram, JMM has not only tried to secure its traditional tribal vote bank but has also given a very big and positive message among the Other Backward and Deprived Classes (OBC & Dalit Dynamics) of the region. Through this masterstroke, Hemant Soren has proved that he is not just doing politics of saving power, but is working on the mission of making the social base of the party more broad and all-inclusive, which can prove to be a game changer for JMM in the upcoming assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
End of dissatisfaction within the party and infusion of new enthusiasm among the workers
After the announcement of Baidyanath Ram’s name on Shibu Soren’s seat, although initially there was a murmur among some local claimants, but the entire organization seems united in front of the strict and clear stand of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. This decision has filled a new hope and immense enthusiasm among the common workers of JMM who have been raising the party flag on the ground for years without any family influence. The workers are now confident that their struggle and loyalty to the organization will definitely be evaluated at the right time. Now it will be very interesting to see how helpful this big political gamble of Hemant Soren and this electoral journey of Baidyanath Ram proves to be in deciding the fate of power in Jharkhand.