Hazaribag: Kalpana Soren, Gandey MLA and wife of chief minister Hemant Soren, drew significant crowds while campaigning for Congress candidate Munna Singh in Hazaribag constituency on Sunday.
Singh is contesting against BJP's Pradip Prasad.
Addressing the gathering, Kalpana highlighted the JMM-led INDIA bloc's achievements during their five-year tenure, contrasting them with the previous BJP govt under Raghubar Das. She emphasised that despite facing challenges, including when CM Hemant Soren's five-month imprisonment in an alleged money laundering case, the coalition govt outperformed its predecessor.
Kalpana claimed that their govt's progress was impeded by constant interference from central agencies like ED, I-T, and CBI. She pointed to recent raids on officials close to the chief minister, occurring just three days before the polls, as evidence of continued harassment.
Criticising the BJP's campaign strategy, she accused central BJP leaders of promoting divisive politics based on religion, a practice she said her party strictly avoided. She highlighted her govt's achievements, including loan waivers for two lakh farmers and various financial assistance programmes, while alleging that the previous BJP govt (2014-2019) only benefited large corporations.
Addressing tribal concerns, Kalpana warned against the BJP's claims regarding Bangladeshi infiltrators, calling it a ploy to mislead tribal communities about land restoration. She alleged that the BJP's real agenda was to acquire tribal lands for corporate interests under the guise of development.
The JMM leader showcased her govt's tribal welfare initiatives, including the Abua Yojana for homeless tribals and the Maiya Yojana.
Earlier in the day, she also campaigned in Barkagaon and Barhi for INDIA alliance candidates Amba Prasad and Arun Sahu, respectively.