Bhubaneswar: As Jharkhand gears up for its upcoming Assembly elections, leaders from both BJP and Congress in Odisha have ramped up their campaigns in the neighboring state, aiming to capture the support of Odia-speaking voters.
Four districts in Jharkhand namely West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum, Saraikela-Kharaswan, and Simdega have significant Odia-speaking population, especially in the Kolhan and South Chhotanagpur regions, that hold considerable influence across 16 Assembly seats.
The political landscape of Jharkhand is divided into five major regions. These are Palamu, Santhal Pargana, North Chotanagpur, South Chotanagpur, and Kolhan. The Kolhan region, encompassing East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, and Saraikela-Kharsawan districts, comprises 14 Assembly constituencies. Of these, nine seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and one for Scheduled Castes (SC). The South Chhotanagpur region, with Simdega district near Odisha’s Sundargarh border, includes two seats - Simdega and Kolebira.
Odia leaders and key seats with Odisha connections:
The BJP has sought to leverage its connections with Odisha to influence the Odia-speaking electorate. The Odia-speaking candidates are set to play influential roles in constituencies with strong Odisha connection, particularly in the Baharagora seat of East Singhbhum.
Samir Mohanty, a sitting MLA from the JMM, having an Odia background, is re-contesting the seat with support from former MLA Kunal Sarangi, who is also an Odia.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's wife, Kalpana Soren, is originally from Odisha, and his sister, Anjali, is married into an Odia family and contested in the Lok Sabha polls from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district in 2019 and 2024.
Another key seat with a notable Odisha connection is Jamshedpur East. Here, Purnima Das Sahu, the daughter-in-law of Odisha Governor and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das, is challenging Ajoy Kumar, a former Congress MP and current All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Odisha. This face-off adds a dynamic layer to the race in Jamshedpur East, as both candidates have direct ties to Odisha.
Odia influence across key regions:
The Kolhan region, encompassing East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, and Saraikela-Kharsawan, holds significant sway with 14 Assembly seats, making it a key battleground. East Singhbhum alone includes constituencies such as Baharagora, Ghatsila, Potka, Jugsalai, Jamshedpur East, and Jamshedpur West, where Odia-speaking voters are expected to be a decisive factor. Saraikela-Kharsawan, with its seats in Ichagarh, Seraikella, and Kharsawan, and West Singhbhum with Chaibasa, Majhgaon, Jaganathpur, Manoharpur, and Chakradharpur, form the heart of the Odia-speaking population in Kolhan. In Simdega district, Sundargarh, Simdega and Kolebira constituencies are impacted by Odia-speaking voters.
The Jharkhand Assembly elections are scheduled to take place in two phases on November 13 and 20 and the counting of votes will be held on November 23. As political parties from Odisha continue their campaigns in Jharkhand, the Odia-speaking community’s influence on 16 Assembly seats could shape the election outcome.
BJP, Congress and JMM, led by prominent Odia-rooted candidates and leaders with Odisha connections, are vying for this pivotal demographics, which could tilt the balance of power in the Jharkhand.
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