Hemant Soren campaigns at Gola ahead of Ramgarh bypolls

RAMGARH: The JMM-Congress-RJD coalition on Sunday upped its campaigning for the February 27 Ramgarh bypoll with chief minister Hemant Soren holding his maiden rally for the ensuing election here at Gola.
Addressing the rally, Soren said, "We don't have any doubt about the victory of our candidate. Our alliance has won all the bypolls here since 2019.Since 2015, 10 out of the 11 bypolls were won by the UPA."
Congress has fielded former MLA Mamta Devi's husband Bajrang Mahto while Ajsu-P fielded NDA's Sunita Chaudhary.
Election became necessary after the seat fell vacant with the conviction of Mamta Devi in connection to a 2016 case of rioting.
Lashing out at the BJP-led NDA, Soren said, "Despite having vast resources, Jharkhand continued to languish. It is only because BJP will never allow a local to run the state. It is only interested in minting the state's resources for its capitalist friends."
"When it was in power, BJP removed adivasi leaders like Babulal Marandi and Arjun Munda from power. But it ran the government for a full five-year term only by making an outsider (Raghubar Das) a CM. But if this state has to prosper, it needs leaders of the soil at the helm like Bengal is run by Bengalis, Gujarat by Gujaratis," the chief minister stated.
Attacking BJP's ally, Ajsu-P, he said, "Ramgarh is once again forced to go to bypoll due to BJP and Ajsu-P. The voters had chosen Mamta Devi in 2019 (Congress party) on this seat, but she was jailed owing to an old and fabricated case during the BJP-Ajsu-P regime between 2014 and 19."
Soren claimed that his government has revived the work culture in government offices. "Earlier, people from far-off places used to come to government offices for their work. Now, the government goes to people to offer them schemes and other assistance through 'sarkar aapke dwar' programmes, which was extensively run in a phased manner since 2019. We are also ensuring that payment of pension is done on time," he added.
Addressing the Santhal tribals in local dialect, Soren warned them not to fall for freebies.
"Some might offer you chicken, liquor and money to beg for your vote. But you should only vote for the Congress candidate who is supported by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and other alliance partners," he stressed.
Bajrang Mahto, who was present along with his toddler in tow, said, "Time has come to give a befitting reply to those who separated a child from his mother. Our victory will be a reply to the rivals."