"BJP's words and actions do not match": JMM MP Mahua Maji

Speaking to ANI, Maji pointed out the inclusion of party leaders belonging to political families in BJP's candidate list for Jharkhand assembly elections and questioned the party's stance on dynasty politics.

"BJP says one thing and does something else. Their words and actions are very different from each other. They accuse JMM, Congress and SP of dynasty. But I think that most of the candidates they announced for Jharkhand this time are the results of dynasty politics," Maji said.

"They gave ticket to the daughter-in-law of former Chief Minister Raghubar Das, to the brother of Dhulu Mahto, to the wife of Arjun Munda and several more such candidates. It is not bad, I am not asking why they were given tickets. But accusing someone else of doing the same thing shows the difference between their words and actions. This should not be done," she said.

"BJP speaks on corruption and inducts corrupt people in their party. So, you will see differences between their words and actions everywhere. Several senior leaders were poached away from our party. They have been given tickets. What is interesting is that they call themselves the biggest party in the world but when elections come, they do not find a candidate within their party," she added.

Maji exuded confidence in JMM returning to power in Jharkhand.

"They say that they have the highest number of women members in their party. But we saw in Lok Sabha elections that BJP gave tickets to 3 women and all three of them were taken away from JMM, Congress and RJD. Our preparations are so good that the BJP won't be able to come to power this time too. People have made up their minds. It has been 24 years since the formation of government," Mahua Maji said.

"For 17-18 of those years, the state had a BJP Government. But Jharkhand did nor progress, it lagged instead. But in this tenure, Hemant Soren cleared all hurdles. He cleared the COVID crisis, he was jailed for 5 months without any evidence - clearing all of these, with the work he did, people have made up their minds to bring him back once again," she added.

Voting in Jharkhand will be held in two phases - November 13 and 20. Votes will be counted on November 23.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday announced that the INDIA bloc will contest the Jharkhand Assembly polls together and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Congress will contest 70 of 81 seats in the state assembly.

Hemant Soren said the remaining seats will be contested by other parties of the INDIA bloc and talks are underway with RJD and Left parties.

The BJP announced the first list of 66 candidates for the Jharkhand Assembly elections earlier on Saturday. The party's state chief Babulal Marandi will contest the elections from Dhanwar, Lobin Hembrom from Borio and Sita Soren from Jamtara. Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand Champai Soren has been nominated as the candidate from Saraikella, Geeta Balmuchu from Chaibasa, Geeta Koda from Jaganathpur and wife of Union Minister Arjun Munda, Meera Munda has been nominated from Potka.

BJP will contest the elections in alliance with the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). BJP will contest 68 seats, AJSU 10 seats, JD-U two seats and LJP one seat.

In the 2019 Assembly elections, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha as part of the UPA (United Progressive alliance) contested 43 seats, Congress contested 31 seats and the Rashtriya Janata Dal seven seats in the 81-member assembly. The UPA attained victory by winning 47 seats against BJP's 25 seats. (ANI)