THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, Nov 4: The political temperature in Jharkhand rose on Tuesday as BJP state spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo launched a sharp attack on the Congress, describing its recently announced “Save Democracy” campaign as nothing more than a “Save Votes” and “Save Existence” exercise.
Reacting to a press conference held by Jharkhand Congress president Keshav Mahato Kamlesh and legislature party leader Pradeep Yadav, Pratul said the Congress was trying to project itself as a defender of democracy despite what he called its own history of authoritarian politics.
“A party which has no internal democracy left within itself is now trying to teach people about democracy,” he said.
“The Gandhi family has maintained a direct or indirect stranglehold over the Congress for decades. In its 130-year history, Sonia Gandhi has been national president for the longest period—more than 20 years.”
‘Congress haunted by rejection from the people’
The BJP spokesperson claimed the Congress was “haunted by the fear of being completely rejected” by voters in Jharkhand.
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“The public has already made Congress an unlisted party, which is why it is now worried about the voter list,” he said, describing the party’s recent press event as “an exhibition of political frustration”.
He also accused the Congress of hypocrisy for invoking the Constitution, recalling that it was the same party that “strangled democracy by imposing the Emergency” in 1975 and attempted to alter its basic structure through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment.
“Now, by questioning constitutional institutions, Congress is simply preparing excuses ahead of its defeat,” he added.
Criticism of opposition to the ‘SIR’ process
In a pointed remark, Pratul said that the opposition of the Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and allied parties to the SIR (Systematic Information Revision) process reflected their reliance on “bogus votes”.
“Their resistance clearly shows these parties used to win elections based on fake votes—of infiltrators, deceased persons, and those who have migrated,” he alleged.
BJP confident ahead of Ghatshila polls
Looking ahead to the upcoming Ghatshila by-elections, the BJP spokesperson asserted that his party would secure a decisive victory.
“The BJP, backed by the people’s trust, development, and service, will achieve a massive win, while the JMM and Congress remain trapped in internal conflict and confusion,” he said.
Party insiders said the BJP plans to intensify its outreach in tribal and semi-urban constituencies, positioning itself as the party of stability and development. The Congress and its allies, meanwhile, are expected to hold a series of rallies under their ‘Save Democracy’ banner in the coming weeks.
