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BJP, Cong lock horns over former J’khand minister Alamgir’s bail
Political tensions escalated in Jharkhand after the Supreme Court granted bail to ex-minister Alamgir Alam, prompting celebrations from Congress and criticism from BJP.
A fierce political war of words erupted in Jharkhand following the Supreme Court granting bail to former minister Alamgir Alam, prime accused in a high-profile multi-crore tender scam.
The development sparked immediate celebrations among Congress workers, drawing sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused the ruling alliance of romanticising institutional corruption.
BJP state spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo launched a scathing attack on the Congress leadership, labelling the street celebrations, dancing, and bursting of firecrackers by Congress state president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh as a “bail festival.”
Shahdeo said celebrating the release of an accused—from whose associate’s residence the Enforcement Directorate (ED) recovered over ₹32 crore in cash—demonstrated the absolute moral degradation of Jharkhand’s politics.
“Bail is merely a judicial process, not an honourable acquittal or a certificate of innocence,” Shahdeo remarked during a press conference alongside state BJP co-media in-charge Yogendra Pratap Singh.
Shahdeo claimed the ruling Congress-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) coalition operated on a core mantra of “Commission, Corruption, and Collection.”
He further alleged that while leaders celebrated, the state’s infrastructure had collapsed, citing dysfunctional rural drinking water schemes, severe doctor shortages in district hospitals, crumbling roads, and rampant youth unemployment.
He demanded that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi clarify if looting public funds was now viewed as a political achievement.
Responding sharply, Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Sonal Shanti dismissed the BJP’s allegations as “sheer political hypocrisy.” Shanti maintained that Alamgir Alam was a highly respected senior leader and his bail naturally created an atmosphere of jubilation among party workers.
He asserted that no monetary recoveries were ever made from Alam’s personal residence, calling the entire case a political conspiracy hatched by the BJP.
Shanti challenged the BJP to look inward before lecturing the opposition on political morality, accusing the party of turning a blind eye to its own members.
“Those leaders who preach about political integrity need, first and foremost, to take a good look at the face of their own party in the mirror. The BJP harbors a long list of leaders facing serious allegations ranging from corruption to rape and murder; against this backdrop, leveling accusations against the Congress constitutes sheer political hypocrisy on the part of the BJP,” Shanti said.
He highlighted that the BJP has previously accommodated and promoted leaders linked to major scandals, such as the Saradha Chit Fund and Louis Berger scams. Furthermore, he raised questions regarding the disproportionate asset growth of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and pointed to past instances where the BJP allegedly provided patronage to controversial figures.
The Congress spokesperson concluded by questioning the impartiality of central investigative agencies, noting that between 2019 and 2024, the ED targeted numerous opposition leaders despite maintaining an extremely low conviction rate, proving that these agencies are being heavily misused for political ends.
