Bhubaneswar: Senior BJP leader and four-time MLA from Keonjhar, Mohan Charan Manjhi took oath as Chief Minister of Odisha on Wednesday.
Manjhi is a Santhal tribal and is said to have massive support from his community in Odisha.
Sources said that the BJP, which lost all five tribal seats in Jharkhand in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election, is looking forward to influence the Santhal community through Mohan Charan Manjhi.
Former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi is considered a strong tribal face in Jharkhand. He was brought back to the BJP in 2020 to strengthen the party's organizational structure in the tribal belt. But after the party's defeat in the tribal region, the party was looking for a strong face to influence its voters in the state keeping upcoming assembly elections in mind.
After Mohan Charan Manjhi took oath, Babulal Marandi congratulated him and termed him as "Son of the Santhal Tribal community". He also said that the BJP was the only party which is "well-wisher" and has launched many welfare schemes for the tribals.
The BJP in 2019 assembly elections managed to secure only two out of 28 seats in ST reserved seats in Jharkhand.
Santhal tribals have their roots in Santhal Pargana of Jharkhand but a large population of the community is also settled in states like Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal.
Jharkhand's tribal belt also shares its borders with districts like Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Mayurbhanj. According to experts most of the Santhal Tribals live in these districts.
President of India Draupadi Murmu also comes from Mayurbhanj, which is the largest tribal district in Odisha. She also belongs to the Santhal Tribal community.
Notably, the ruling JMM also has massive support in tribal regions close to Jharkhand borders. Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana Soren also belongs to Mayurbhanj district. Recently during Lok Sabha elections Kalpana Soren vigorously campaigned for her sister-in-law Anjani Soren who contested on JMM ticket from Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha and Sarskana assembly seat.
The JMM had also fielded candidates in four other assembly seats in Odisha but was defeated.
In Jharkhand Santhal Tribals are about 30 percent of the total population.
According to sources, the BJP is planning to organize political events to mobilize Tribal voters. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi is likely to be among the star campaigners who is expected to address rallies and public meetings in all 28 assembly constituencies reserved for Tribals in Jharkhand.
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