BJP, Congress lock horns over delay in Jharkhand civic polls

The issue of delayed municipal elections in Jharkhand took a sharp political turn on Saturday, with Leader of the Opposition and BJP state president Babulal Marandi accusing the Hemant Soren-led government of undermining constitutional institutions and flouting judicial directives. The Congress, in a swift rebuttal, alleged that the BJP was selectively invoking democracy while ignoring its own past actions in weakening the same institutions.

Marandi referred to the Jharkhand High Court’s January 4 directive asking the state to conduct urban local body elections within three weeks. “Today is July 19. No elections have taken place, and no preparations have been made. This shows how the Soren government views the judiciary,” he said.

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He claimed that the government is deliberately stalling the electoral process by failing to appoint the State Election Commissioner. “Whether it is the municipal bodies, the Women’s Commission or JPSC, the government has consistently avoided filling key posts. The intention is to control every democratic institution,” Marandi said.

Citing the High Court’s observation that “running civic bodies through administrators is against the soul of democracy,” Marandi alleged that this was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern. “From the appointment of the DGP to repeated delays in civic polls, the government has twisted constitutional norms to suit its political interests,” he added. Comparing the situation to the Emergency era, he warned that such authoritarian tendencies would not last.

Reacting strongly, Congress spokesperson Sonal Shanti said the BJP had no moral authority to lecture on democracy. “The party that undermined constitutional values during its own tenure now seeks to appropriate the mantle of constitutionalism,” he said.

He pointed to the role of BJP ally AJSU Party in filing a petition in the Supreme Court which led to the suspension of the civic poll process. “The government initiated the delimitation and triple test process, but delays occurred due to overlapping electoral cycles and court proceedings,” Shanti explained.

He accused the BJP of turning urban local bodies into hubs of corruption during its regime. “Most of the mayors, deputy mayors and councillors were from the BJP, and the state of civic administration was abysmal. Now, under the alliance government, urban bodies have seen improvements and have secured better national rankings,” he said.

With the civic poll issue now under judicial and political scrutiny, the deadlock continues. Both sides appear unwilling to cede ground, raising larger questions over the functioning of local governance in Jharkhand and the role of institutions in ensuring timely electoral accountability.