Ranchi: A major controversy broke out in poll-bound Jharkhand after anomalies were pointed out in Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Hemant Soren’s election affidavit. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed that Soren’s affidavit has multiple anomalies including about his age.
According to media reports, in his nomination for 2019 Assembly polls, Soren had declared himself 42-year-old, and in his current affidavit he has claimed to be 49. BJP also questioned decrease in the former Jharkhand CM’s assets as compared to last election affidavit.
“JMM means ‘Jhol, Muslim appeasement and Mafia’. The JMM govt which has set new standards of corruption is now doing corruption in affidavits also. Mr Hemant Soren has aged 7 years in the last 5 years. Similarly, they did corruption and scams,” said BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla.
BJP questions decrease in Soren’s financial assets
The BJP has also questioned a decrease in Soren’s income- from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 4 lakh- claimed that JMM chief is hiding his assets. Reports say that BJP has also filed complaint with the election officials regarding anomalies in Soren’s poll affidavit.
While defending their party chief, JMM refuted the allegations. Party leader Manoj Pandey said that all the documents were properly verified and termed BJP’s allegations ‘baseless’. JMM alliance partner in Jharkhand, Congress, too dismissed the BJP claims and said these allegations were being levelled to divert focus from elections where BJP is going to lose.
Jharkhand Assembly election schedule
Hemant Soren has filed his nomination from the Barhait Assembly seat, while his wife Kalpana Soren is contesting from Gandey constituency.
Voting for the 81-seat Jharkhand Assembly will take place in two phases- November 13 and 20- while the results for all the seats will be declared on November 23. As per the Election Commission, about 2.60 crore voters, 12 lakh first-time voters, are eligible to cast their votes. In the 2019 assembly election, JMM had won 30 seats, BJP 25, and Congress 16.
