Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 | ED raids in poll-bound state to help BJP set 'Bangladeshi infiltration narrative': JMM

Ranchi: The ruling JMM slammed the BJP-led Centre for ED raids at multiple locations in Jharkhand on Tuesday, a day before the first phase of state polls, alleging that the central agency's action was an attempt to "help the saffron camp establish its Bangladeshi infiltration narrative".

During the day, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided multiple locations in poll-bound Jharkhand, apart from West Bengal, in a money laundering investigation linked to alleged infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals, official sources said.

"The ED action, just a day before polling in Jharkhand, is nothing but an attempt to set a wrong narrative and mislead people. It is an attempt to help the saffron camp establish its Bangladeshi infiltration narrative in the elections. The BJP will not be successful in its mission and get a befitting reply in the elections," JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey told PTI.

Forty-three assembly seats, out of 81 in Jharkhand, will go to polls in the first phase on Wednesday.

The Jharkhand Congress, an ally of the JMM-led government, alleged that the ED action was the "last attempt to save BJP's political ground in the state".

"This ED raids are not for Bangladeshi infiltrators but a last attempt to save BJP's political ground in the state," Congress spokesperson Rakesh Sinha said.

The people of the state understood all "these tactics and would give a befitting reply to the BJP", he claimed.

The Congress leader said that Jharkhand does not share a border with Bangladesh.

"BJP-ruled Assam shares border with Bangladesh. So I think they should first conduct a raid in Assam instead of Jharkhand," the Congress spokesperson said.

He alleged that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was sent to Jharkhand by the BJP to "polarise votes" but the "saffron camp would not be successful".

Sarma, as the co-in charge for the BJP for the Jharkhand polls, has been campaigning for saffron camp candidates.

Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

Subscribe and follow DH on Whatsapp, X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram to never miss out on anything.