BJP slams CM’s Europe visit as ‘leisure trip masquerading as investment drive’

The BJP on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Jharkhand Chief Minister’s recent visit to Sweden and Spain, calling it a “high-cost leisure tour with no tangible investment outcome.” Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo questioned both the fiscal prudence and diplomatic judgement behind the foreign trip.

“The visit may have been personally fulfilling for the Chief Minister as a tourist, but from the perspective of investment and returns for the state, it has been a complete failure,” Shah Deo remarked. He alleged that a sum of ₹4.3 crore was sanctioned for an 11-member delegation, routed through a private event management firm, raising questions about transparency and intent.

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“The CM could have hired any reputed tour operator from Ranchi for ₹2.75 lakh per person. If sightseeing was the motive, that would have saved public funds,” he said.

Shah Deo criticised the lack of any written agreement with potential investors, despite photo-ops and promotional material shared via the Chief Minister’s official X handle. “Not even a symbolic MoU has been signed. There is no clarity on any follow-up investment commitment,” he added.

Of particular concern was a reported agreement with RCD Espanyol, a second-division Spanish football club currently ranked 13th in La Liga 2, owned by Chinese businessman Chen Yansheng. Shah Deo questioned the rationale of tying up with a lesser-known club allegedly associated with a conglomerate known for anti-India positions. “In times of heightened tensions with China, this kind of partnership sends the wrong diplomatic signal,” he said.

He further dismissed recent claims that Tesla is eyeing investment in Jharkhand. “The group being mentioned is Tesla AS from the Czech Republic, which manufactures radios and batteries. It has nothing to do with Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc., which is a global EV giant. This is a deliberate attempt to create confusion,” he asserted.

Commenting on the CM’s visit to the Volvo plant in Sweden, Shah Deo noted that the same electric vehicle technologies are already being developed in Bengaluru and Pune. “If the goal was to study EV innovation, there was no need to travel abroad at taxpayers’ expense,” he argued.

He also criticised discussions held on promoting cricket and sports branding in Spain and Sweden, noting the limited or non-existent popularity of cricket in those countries. “India’s IPL is the world’s biggest league. If sports branding was the agenda, why not study IPL here?” he asked.

The BJP has demanded that the state government release a white paper detailing the expenses incurred during the trip and disclose any formal investment commitments. “The public deserves transparency. Possibilities and promises mean little unless backed by signed agreements,” Shah Deo concluded.