Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s party has managed to defend its fortress from the advancing National Democratic Alliance (NDA) forces.
Earlier today, as counting of votes began, the numbers for the NDA or the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra looked good. In the north in Jharkhand, over 1,300 km away, the NDA also appeared to be leading.
However, within a span of minutes as more trends came, Mr Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and its allies galloped ahead.
By evening, the trends clearly cemented the INDIA bloc’s sure win in Jharkhand, where tribal votes can make or break the chances of national parties.
The INDIA bloc which comprises the JMM, the Congress, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has crossed the halfway mark.
“How’s the josh?” the JMM’s official handle posted on X, alluding to the phenomenal chase and eventual overtaking of the NDA’s numbers.
How’s the Josh? pic.twitter.com/uwGxOv46NV
— Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (@JmmJharkhand) November 23, 2024
“How’s the josh” is a dialogue from the 2019 Bollywood film ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’, which has become a pop culture catchphrase often used by numerous public personalities with strong viral effect on social media.
The BJP had raised the issue of illegal immigrants entering Jharkhand, posing a danger to indigenous demography. That may not have worked.
Mr Soren was recently jailed in a land case. He had stepped down before he was sent to jail, only to return and become the Chief Minister again. The JMM had alleged the Centre of vendetta politics. This entire episode likely brought a sympathy wave in favour of Mr Soren.
