Mahagathbandhan leaders usurped tribals land: Raghubar Das

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Thursday charged the 'mahagathbandhan' leaders with exploiting the tribals and alleged them of usurping their land worth Rs 500 crore by flouting the Act. "JMM president Shibu Soren (known as Guruji in Jharkhand), Babulal Marandi, Hemant Soren are the ones who have exploited the tribals," Das alleged at an election rally at Rajhdanwas in Giridih district.

"They talk about the interest of the tribals and yet they have become owners of land worth Rs 500 crore by flouting the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act," Das said. Without taking Babulal Marandi's name, Das said the contestant from Koderma (a general seat) did not have the ability to contest the elections from a seat reserved for tribals.

"You should ensure that they loose their deposits after the elections," Das said. While the BJP has fielded Annapurna Devi from Koderma by replacing its sitting MP Ravindra Rai, Marandi is supported by the 'mahagathbandhan' allies - the JMM, the Congress and the RJD.

The BJP is supporting AJSU candidate and Jharkhand Water Resources Minister Chandraprakash Choudhary from neighbouring Giridih Lok Sabha seat. He is pitted against JMM MLA Jagarnath Mahato.

Earlier, the Giridih LS seat was held by BJP MP Ravindra Kumar Pandey. "The Mahagathbandhan has been formed to loot Jharkhand. They don't have anything to do with the development of the state. The state that had been known for corruption has now no corruption charges against the government, which is due to the people's mandate for a majority in 2014," Das said launching a scathing attack at the opposition alliance.

He alleged that the Congress propagates dynastic rule and members of a family run the JMM party. He said that Naxalism has been controlled, adding, due to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Masood Azhar has been designated as a global terrorist..