Wed Nov 13 03:45:36 UTC 2024: ## JMM Alleges BJP Interference in Jharkhand Elections, Accuses Election Commission of Bias
**Ranchi:** The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Election Commission of India (ECI), and the central government of attempting to hinder its campaign in the upcoming state assembly elections.
JMM’s central general secretary, Supriyo Bhattacharya, made these accusations at a press conference today, claiming that the ECI and other government agencies are deliberately creating obstacles for the JMM’s campaign, which he believes is a violation of democratic principles.
Bhattacharya cited the recent incident on Tuesday where the helicopter of JMM leader Kalpana Soren was grounded during a campaign event. He also pointed to an incident today where an Air Force helicopter was landed between two JMM helicopters, delaying their departure. He said that Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Kalpana Soren had requested permission to take off, but faced an hour-long delay, which they believe was a deliberate action by the ECI.
Bhattacharya raised further concerns regarding the ECI’s impartiality, specifically targeting Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. He questioned the fairness of the ECI’s claims of providing equal opportunity to all parties, given the alleged obstruction faced by the JMM. “Either provide equal opportunities or arrest Hemant Soren so he cannot speak,” he said.
Bhattacharya accused the BJP of orchestrating these actions with the help of the central government and the ECI, saying that they are trying to create a perception of bias in the state. He alleged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting raids in Jharkhand under the guise of investigating Bangladeshi infiltration, purely to keep the issue in the spotlight.
He appealed to the ECI to allow the JMM to campaign freely, warning that they will be forced to take their campaign to the streets if these obstructions continue.
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