Jharkhand power couple proves influence over tribal votes

Call it a charismatic show by the power couple -- Hemant Soren and Kalpana Soren -- whom the Bharatiya Janata Party had dubbed as 'Bunty aur Babli', Jharkhand's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is on track to secure a second consecutive term as part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

Both Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife, legislator Kalpana Soren, who entered politics after her husband's arrest earlier this year, held nearly 200 election rallies after elections were announced.

Loyal party workers have already begun celebrations, bursting crackers and distributing sweets, even though the Election Commission has yet to announce the results.

According to Election Commission, JMM was leading in 31 out of the 43 seats it contested at 1.30 pm.

This performance is notable given the challenges faced by the party.

Two of its legislators, Nalin Soren and Joba Majhi, contested the Lok Sabha elections and won. Additionally, prominent figures such as Sita Soren, Champai Soren, and Lobin Hembrom switched allegiance to the BJP.

The power couple was seen relaxing on Thursday after the polls, playing with their dogs, pictures shared by Hemant Soren on X showed.

If JMM returns to power in Jharkhand, it will signify the deepened influence of the Sorens among the tribal communities, as they successfully mobilised tribal sentiments following Hemant Soren's arrest on January 31 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

Both Hemant and Kalpana managed to create a wave of sympathy among the tribal electorate, and despite the anti-incumbency sentiment, the BJP failed to capitalise on this and form a government, according to poll analysts.

In Barhait assembly constituency, Soren is leading with a margin of 17,347 votes over BJP's Gamliyel Hembrom.

However, his wife Kalpana, who is credited with revitalising the JMM, was trailing by 5,362 votes against BJP's Muniya Devi after the ninth round of counting.

A JMM worker mentioned that Kalpana was referred to as the 'helicopter madam' in Gandey, a term used by the BJP to suggest that she was an outsider, as she isn't a local resident, unlike Muniya Devi.

However, the worker added, "Kalpana may close the gap in the coming rounds."

Hemant Soren was released from jail on June 28 after being granted bail by the high court.

On July 3, he was elected as the JMM's legislature party leader.

Champai Soren then submitted his resignation to the governor, clearing the path for Hemant Soren to be sworn in as chief minister for a third term.

The JMM's campaign focused on promises of welfare schemes and accusations against the BJP-led Centre for using the ED and CBI as tools against rival parties.

Hemant Soren also accused the BJP of spending over Rs 500 crore on 'malicious campaigns' against him.

Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president J P Nadda, and chief ministers of several states, addressed extensive rallies, attacking the JMM-led coalition over allegations of corruption and infiltration.

They also targeted Soren, who had spent five months in jail in connection with the money-laundering case.

A key plank of the BJP's campaign was the removal of Champai Soren as chief minister shortly after Hemant Soren's release on bail in June.

The BJP framed this as an issue of how a tribal leader had been insulted by the JMM-led coalition.