‘Shibu Soren should have taken retirement from active politics’

Mangal Pandey played a key role as the party in-charge in its emphatic victory in Jharkhand, where the BJP won 12 out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats while fighting a united Opposition

One of the senior BJP leaders of Bihar and state’s health minister, Mangal Pandey played a key role as the party in-charge in its emphatic victory in Jharkhand, where the BJP won 12 out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats while fighting a united Opposition. Earlier, Pandey had steered the party in the assembly polls to a phenomenal return to power in Himachal Pradesh. In an interview to Subhash Pathak, he says Jharkhand had overcome the era when political parties used to exploit the people’s sentiments in the name of a separate state from Bihar. Excerpts:

Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey is taking charge at his chamber in Patna (HTPhoto)

How could you make the Jharkhand contest almost one-sided?

After successive defeats of the BJP in the state’s bypolls, I was given an impression that it was difficult to retain all 12 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand. Soon after I was made the in-charge, I started following the action plan stipulated by BJP chief Amit Shah and relied on achievements of the Central and state governments to win over people. Leaders of our coalition partners, including All Jharkhand Students’ Union , Janata Dal United (JDU) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) helped us carry the positive message to the masses.

Was there any special strategy after the BJP’s debacle in the recent bypolls?

After assuming the charge of Jharkhand, I held rounds of meetings with party workers from booth to the state level. My 30 years of experience of working with the party helped me identify issues. My efforts lifted morale of the workers, who finally delivered the good for the party and the nation.

The opposition led by the Congress was united and trying to play it up against the state government. Did you expect such a landslide?

There was a basic different between 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Contrary to 2014 polls, all opposition parties like Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) got united and sought to project the alliance like a major force. Sensing their strategy, BJP put all its resources to apprise the masses about the schemes of central and the state governments, ensured they were implemented on time and their benefits reached the last person. People were made to realize that the BJP was the only party that could cater to the present needs of the country.

Did Pulwama attack on CMPF convey and Balakot air strike help the BJP
override the opposition’s unity?

It is for the first time that nationalism grew up as a major political issue, when people began crying for all out war against terror and national security, rising above all caste, social and sectarian lines. A perception was built among the people that the nation is first for one and all. And it worked to mobilize the electors in support of the BJP and the NDA.

In the BJP’s wave, political stalwarts of Jharkhand like JMM chief Sibu Soren and JVM-P president Babulal Marandi were swept aside. What does it signify for Jharkhand?

JMM founder Shibu Soren should have taken retirement from active politics, as he had crossed the age. And his defeat in his stronghold of Dumka made it amply clear. The way Babulal Marandi faced massive defeat in Koderma, it seems people made him to take voluntary retirement. People of Jharkhand also taught a lesson to Congress. They are unwilling to accept a non-resident Jharkhandi to head the party.