Mandal Murmu, who endorsed Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s nomination for the Barhait Assembly constituency, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday. He expressed a commitment to tackle demographic changes in Santhal Pargana, a region with significant tribal heritage.
Speaking to reporters, Murmu said, "First of all, I bow before my ancestors… Sidhu-Kanhu, Phulo Jhano, who sacrificed themselves for this nation… I belong to that lineage. We will take the initiative on demographic concerns in Santhal Pargana."
Murmu’s induction into the BJP took place in the presence of Union Minister and BJP’s Jharkhand election in-charge Shivraj Singh Chouhan, along with Assam Chief Minister and BJP’s co-in-charge of Jharkhand, Himanta Biswa Sarma. Sarma remarked that Murmu’s association with the BJP reflects the party's connection to the values and legacy of Sidhu-Kanhu and Phulo Jhano, leaders of the historic Santhal rebellion against British colonial rule.
Sarma further commented, “Mandal Murmu did not join to campaign or gather votes for us. He is not a politician. His support represents the blessings of Sidhu-Kanhu and Phulo Jhano.”
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey welcomed Murmu’s decision and highlighted the cultural challenges faced by the tribal community under the current Jharkhand government. Dubey remarked on social media, "Today, Sidhu-Kanhu’s descendant and Hemant Soren’s proposer, Shri Mandal Murmu, has joined the BJP family. The culture of the tribal community is at risk, leading people from all sections of society to support BJP."
Dubey noted that Murmu is deeply concerned about Bangladeshi infiltration and demographic changes in Santhal Pargana. He shared that Murmu is willing to make sacrifices for the cause without any personal gain. "He said that the population of Santhal Pargana, once 45 percent tribal, has dropped to 25 percent. Entire villages that were historically non-Muslim are now Muslim settlements. He is ready to make sacrifices to address this issue," Dubey added.
The upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections are scheduled in two phases on November 13 and 20, with results to be announced on November 23. This year, 2.6 crore voters, including 1.31 crore men, 1.29 crore women, 11.84 lakh first-time voters, and 66.84 lakh young voters, are eligible to participate.
In the previous Assembly elections, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) secured 30 seats, BJP won 25, and Congress took 16. In 2014, BJP had a stronger lead with 37 seats, while JMM and Congress captured 19 and 6 seats, respectively.
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