Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly election dates are set to be announced today, with the Election Commission revealing the details at 3:30 PM. Meanwhile, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s party, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), has directed its criticism towards the Election Commission.
Earlier, JMM leader Manoj Pandey alleged that BJP leaders had prior knowledge of the Election Commission’s announcement. He further accused the Election Commission of acting as a “tool” for the BJP.
In a significant development, the top leadership of the BJP convened a late-night meeting to strategize for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections. Reports emerged yesterday morning indicating that the Election Commissioner might announce the dates for these two states in the afternoon. After the BJP meeting concluded, the Election Commissioner confirmed the announcement for 3:30 PM today. Consequently, the ruling party in Jharkhand has raised questions about the timing of the BJP meeting and the Election Commission’s announcement.
Manoj Pandey expressed, “We are always ready for elections. However, with the election announcement happening today, it appears that BJP leaders knew about it yesterday. This is a serious matter. Does the Election Commission operate under the influence of BJP leaders?” He also referenced Himant Biswa Sharma’s earlier statement regarding the announcement of the election date, labeling the situation as serious and questioning the commission’s independence.
It is important to note that the Jharkhand assembly elections will cover all 81 seats, and the current tenure of the Jharkhand Assembly will conclude on January 5.