The elections for the Jharkhand Assembly, held in 2024, have brought about a loud bell and are in a way going to be written in golden words to narrate the saga for ages in the future of the state. Situated in the peripheral boundary of India, the highly tribal and rural population dense state has, over the years, been evolving in political alignment and responses therein, with exemplary mineral wealth to buoy the changing flag-integration therein.
The 2024 elections were highly awaited not only for their implications at the state level but were speculated to hit the national political scene. With major players like the JMM, BJP, and INC waging a fierce war to cross the final hurdle, the results reflect dynamic voter behavior, regional aspirations, and national political currents.
Jharkhand had entered election mode; the atmosphere of politics was charged with intensity. The incumbent JMM-led coalition government, which had the Congress party on its side along with other smaller allies, was trying its utmost to remain in power. Chief Minister Hemant Soren faced a battery of both internal and external problems during his tenure: allegations of corruption, grievances about the state dealing with tribal rights, and rising dissatisfaction with the pace of economic development.
On the other hand, the BJP, with its success in the international field, had been hoping to revive its era of governance in the state of Jharkhand, in spite of several allegations and controversies it had created for Congress to tackle the internal and external environment and the different political challenges Hemant Soren was being confronted with during his regime, such as corruption charges, the entire handling of the state of tribal rights, and the frustrations of the business communities with sluggish economic progress in the state.
The speculation in the polls was rife as to whether or not the tribal vote, which was a major electoral block in Jharkhand, would remain loyal to the JMM that had been historically championing their causes or would be swayed by the outreach programs of the BJP.
The election campaign in Jharkhand served as a stage for dramatic truths to emerge from continued clashes of ideologies and strategies. The ruling JMM, led by Hemant Soren, insisted on the party’s commitment to the rights of indigenous people, especially regarding land acquisition laws, tribal welfare, and access to basic services. Soren built up a reputation as a leader advocating for tribal communities and centered his speeches on the unique identity of the state and its resources. His speeches deeply echoed with a large section of the people around the rural and tribal regions, who were concerned with their rights over natural resources.
The BJP, with state president and former Chief Minister Raghubar Das at the helm, launched an election campaign focused on developmental works, governance, and national security. The BJP had a story from a promise-of-infrastructure-development and job creation-to-a-strong-economy angle. They also told the urban voters, who were dissatisfied with the JMM’s governance, that they were the party of ‘nationalism’. Its strategy included an aggressive social-media-led campaign to draw rural outreach programs and further focus on law and order-related burning issues.
Meanwhile, the Congress, playing the most important role in the JMM-led coalition, muted its tone, focusing attention on its historical ties with tribal and rural communities. In fact, Congress, having lately faced a decline in power all across the country, was striving to conserve its traditional vote base within Jharkhand to address issues pertinent to farmers, tribals, and marginalized communities.
Participation in this election was also witnessed by a handful of smaller regional parties like the All Jharkhand Students’ Union(AJSU). Previously an ally of the BJP, the party fought independently this time, emphasizing a concern about regional autonomy and local governance.
The elections were staggered across several phases to cover large and remote valleys in diverse geographical pockets of Jharkhand. Despite the considerable challenge posed by effects of communication, insecurity in some parts, and least of all interference from the COVID pandemic, the election witnessed relatively higher turnout as an estimated 65% of the registered voters exercised their right to vote. This higher voter participation was perceived as a positive sign of the public’s engagement with the political process and a reflection of their appetite for change.
According to political analysts, the voter demographics in Jharkhand had experienced an evolution over time with greater information flowing to the receptive youth through digital platforms demanding for accountability of all the leaders. Additionally, the tribal electorate, which constitutes a major chunk of the population in the state, would play a central role in deciding the election outcome.
The election results, however, turned rather surprising for many political analysts. An alliance of JMM, already being beset with substantial anti-incumbency sentiment, continued its hold on power, pulling off an emphatic victory. The government led by Hemant Soren got a simple majority in the 81-member state assembly and won by over 45 seats. Soren’s political win was by weathering the aggression being launched by the BJP campaign and the internal fissures of his coalition partners.
The BJP could not offer a scare, having reached only 30 seats, and a sharp decline compared to the 2019 elections, where 25 seats were claimed but a stronger position was taken to form a government by the party.
Raghubar Das, the former Chief Minister and one of the prominent faces of the BJP’s campaign, faced a setback in his constituency where he lost to a JMM candidate by a huge margin.
The Congress, which included the JMM-led coalition’s important ally, managed to win 15 seats, showing slight improvement from its previous tally. However, the dominance of the JMM had clearly eroded the Congress’s power in the state. While it remained indispensable for the Congress to work with the alliance, the political landscape of Jharkhand clearly proved that the JMM has emerged as the senior partner in the alliance.
AJSU, while being another major regional force in the state, had a poor showing, winning only 3 seats. Their showing implies that while there was a craving for regional autonomy, at least voters did not seem convinced of their leadership.
The 2024 Jharkhand Assembly election results signify several important trends in the state’s political landscape. JMM’s sweeping victory and Hemant Soren indicate that the party’s core support is still drawing from the tribal vote. The tribal rights advocated by Soren and regional development became deciding factors in garnering support from the countryside and remote terrain.
The third fact pointing at BJP losing the polls is that nationally resonating economy development and nationalism were not able to outweigh the dominant regional and tribal identity politics in the state. The BJP’s lack of significant outreach to the tribal population, notwithstanding the party’s extensive campaigning, has been seen as a setback for the party’s strategy of enamoring local aspirations.
The defeat underscores the continued dominance of regional parties in Jharkhand’s political structure. The state has seen a pattern where national parties have consistently struggled to make lasting inroads, with local issues pertaining to land rights, tribal welfare, and economic development taking precedence. In terms of projection as a national party of governance, the basic failure of the BJP to connect with local sentiments of the electorate laid the grounds for the party’s downfall.
For the Congress, although disappointing, this outcome showcases its persistence within the JMM-led coalition, where it acts as a balancing force to state politics. The ability to maintain its electoral share amidst national realities shows that in parts of the state, particularly urban and semi-urban constituencies, the party is still able to maintain a foothold.
What Lies Ahead: Jharkhand
The JMM will be forming the government for a second term with Hemant Soren facing considerable challenges ahead in terms of internal party dynamics and external pressures. The need of the hour will be to lessen the gap between the rural and urban economies in the state, securing tribals’ land rights, and dealing with the allegations of corruption. Ensuring good governance while constantly facing the opposition from the BJP will be a test of Hemant Soren’s capabilities. This defeat for the BJP serves as a reminder to it that success at the national level does not necessarily translate into winning at the state level, especially in places where local issues are at the forefront.
The results of the 2024 Jharkhand Assembly elections suggest the politically charged nature of the state, with a strong regional identity and local issues at the forefront, within which the JMM-led coalition’s victory underscores the continued importance of tribal rights and regional politics, while the problems that the BJP has ran into signify the limits of national politics in such an environment. Thus, in the near future, there will certainly be more debates on regional autonomy, tribal welfare, and sustainable development as Jharkhand moves on. These will critically affect the future political trajectory of the state.