JMM failed to bring local policy, BJP did it: Das

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Saturday asked the people to question why the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) failed to bring in a local policy despite promising to define it within three months after coming to power.

However, he said, the BJP government has defined it.

As per the local policy, which was earlier known as the domicile policy, preference will be given to locals in jobs and education.

Addressing a poll meeting at Panki in Palamau district, Das alleged that the JMM played with the future of the youth by not defining a local policy during its regimes.

"The JMM had promised to define local policy within three months of coming to power, but they did not do it. Ask them the reason," Das said,

The JMM made the promise when it came to power by ousting the BJP government.

JMM leader Hemant Soren became the chief minister of the UPA government in 2013.

In the past five years, the BJP-led government defined the local policy and appointed 31,000 teachers, 13,000 police personnel, and others, Das said adding that over 90 per cent of the local people got those jobs.

He said information on this could be obtained through the Right to Information Act.

Soon after its creation in 2000, Jharkhand had been embroiled in violent agitations over the domicile policy.

Addressing another poll meeting at Kunda in Chatra district, Das called upon the people to rise above caste and creed and support development.

The first of the five-phase polling is scheduled on November 30 and the polling exercise will conclude on December 20. Counting will take place on December 23.