Campaigning ended for phase-I of Jharkhand Assembly elections and bypolls in 33 constituencies, including Wayanad, where Priyanka Gandhi debuts.
While Mr. Modi launched an all-out attack on Congress, the JMM, and the RJD, Mr. Shah said that if the BJP wins power in the state, the party will form a committee to identify and drive out ‘infiltrators’ from the state.
The PM accused the Congress of talking big but failing to deliver on its promises. He also slammed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for his remarks that the BJP had given “false guarantees” to people.
During the campaign, the BJP had claimed the JMM coalition government was allowing “Bangladeshi infiltrators” into Jharkhand, changing the demography in tribal areas, a charge denied by the INDIA bloc. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Mr. Kharge had raised the issue of caste census.
Complaint of MCC violation
Meanwhile, the Congress filed a complaint in Ranchi on Monday, leading to the registration of an FIR against the BJP’s Jharkhand unit for violating the model code of conduct. The BJP faces accusations of posting ‘false and misleading’ videos on the ‘BJP 4 Jharkhand’ social media handle targeting INDIA bloc leaders.
Of the 81 Assembly constituencies in the State, 43 will vote on November 13 while the rest will go to polls on November 20. In the first phase, the keenly watched contests are for the seats of Seraikella, Ranchi, Jamshedpur West, Jaganathpur and Jamshedpur East.
Champai Soren contests from Seraikella, while Ajoy Kumar faces Purnima Das Sahu in Jamshedpur East.
In the high-octane campaign in Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and former MP from the constituency Rahul Gandhi joined his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on the last day of the campaign.
Congress’ Ms. Vadra is pitted against BJP’s Navya Haridas and CPI’s Sathyan Mokeri.
Trinamool, EC trade barbs
On Monday, the ECI issued a notice to BJP State president Sukanta Majumdar over his alleged remarks ‘insulting the national emblem’ even as it rejected allegations of ‘delay’ made by the Trinamool Congress in response. The poll body asserted that it acted within 20 hours of receiving the party’s complaints.
In a strongly worded letter to party leader Derek O’ Brien, the ECI said it was “surprising” that even after prompt action was taken by the Commission, there had been “unwarranted comments of delay”.
Mr. O’ Brien responded by refuting the poll body’s claims. He said, “…we have personally seen over the last three days how little the ECI respects the party with the third largest number of MPs in Parliament”.
On Nov 8, TMC approached the ECI over alleged misuse of central forces, submitting memoranda on the bypoll campaign.
