Jharkhand's political landscape may be on the brink of a major churn, with reports suggesting strong indications that Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are exploring a dramatic realignment with its longtime rival, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), for a possible induction into the NDA.
Within days of the Mahagathbandhan's decimating defeat in Bihar, tremors have moved eastward, with Ranchi now abuzz over reports of behind-the-scenes negotiations between Soren and senior BJP leadership. Sources cited by several media reports confirmed that Hemant Soren and his wife Kalpana met a top BJP leader in Delhi recently, setting off speculation that a new power equation may be taking shape in the state.
Multiple accounts from both the Congress and JMM camps cited in the media suggest that at least eight of the 16 Congress MLAs are also in talks to break ranks and join a new configuration led by Soren with outside support from the BJP. According to a report by The Sunday Guardian, senior Congress sources privately admitted that discussions are underway, adding that "things will become clearer within two days".
To avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law, at least 11 Congress lawmakers would have to split en masse, though any final decision lies with the Speaker, JMM's Rabindra Nath Mahto.
The arithmetic is heavily in Soren's favour if the realignment materialises. In the 82-member Assembly elected last November, the JMM holds 34 seats, while the BJP has 21. An alliance between the two, along with the LJP's one MLA, AJSU's one and the JD(U)'s one, would deliver 58 seats which is well above the 41 needed for majority.
Sources cited in the media indicated that even the post of Deputy Chief Minister has been discussed as part of negotiations. In contrast, the existing JMM-led alliance with Congress (16 MLAs), RJD (4) and the Left (2) stands at 56 seats, but internal cohesion has been weakening for months.
Insiders believe that the JMM's rethinking is largely driven by two factors. First, the expectation of a more favourable relationship with the Centre that could expedite stalled development work in Jharkhand. Second, concerns within the Soren camp about pending Enforcement Directorate cases linked to alleged corruption.
Under the new Bill introduced in Parliament in August which is currently before a Joint Parliamentary Committee, a Chief Minister or Prime Minister must step down on the 31st day of being arrested, or automatically lose the post. This, sources say, has sharpened the urgency of securing political protection ahead of any future legal complications.
According to the report cited above, another layer to the speculation is the Centre's apparent plan to confer the Bharat Ratna next year on JMM founder and former Chief Minister Shibu Soren, who passed away in August. Several within the JMM believe this could be both a symbolic outreach and a political opening toward a new alignment.
Hindi media reports from Jharkhand have gone a step further, claiming that "initial agreement" between the JMM and BJP is already in place and that the Delhi meeting was far from a courtesy call. A source quoted by Navbharat Times noted that if Soren joins hands with the NDA, "it will be one of the most unexpected political shifts in recent Indian history", especially given the bitter rivalry between the two parties during the 2024 Lok Sabha campaign.
As the speculation deepens, both the JMM and Congress have chosen silence, while the BJP too has refrained from clarifying its position. Yet, political observers agree that the signals are unmistakable. Whether Hemant Soren ultimately walks out of the INDIA bloc to join hands with the BJP remains to be seen. But the shifting alliances, high-level meetings, and imminent defections suggest that Jharkhand’s current political script may be heading for a dramatic rewrite.
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