Jharkhand Assembly Election 2024: Who is Tiger Jairam Mahto? The new face creating waves amid INDIA vs NDA clash

Jharkhand Election 2024: The second phase of assembly polls for 38 seats of Jharkhand will be held on November 20. Polling in the first phase for 43 seats was held on November 13.

Ever since the creation of Jharkhand state in November 2000, the electoral politics has been dominated by two national parties – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress and two regional parties – the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU).

The contest in the state’s fifth assembly election in 2024 is primarily between the the ruling JMM-led INDIA bloc and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. Yet, the rise of a new political poutfit – the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JKLM) – led by 30-year-old Jairam Mahato, is generating a buzz in the otherwise INDIA vs NDA fight.

The fight for Kudmi Votes

The JKLM, which came to being just three months ago, is contesting its first assembly election in the state. The party has fielded candidates on 73 of the 81 seats in the state.

And as the second phase of polling nears, JKLM leader leader Jairam Mahto ’s rising popularity, particularly among the Kudmi Mahto community, has reportedly become a cause of concern for the mainstream parties. Not because they see him winning seats but the feat is largely because he might end up cutting into their votes.

Jairam is contesting from two assembly constituencies – Dumri and Bermo.

Jairam’s Kudmi caste comprises 15 per cent population in the state. The Kudmi caste is considered to be the most influential after the tribals, who comprise 26 per cent of the population in Jharkhand.

The Lok Sabha Experiment

This is not first time that Jairam, and his party colleagues, are contesting elections. In the Lok Sabha election, Jairam and, many other candidates, contested on eight seats as independents since the party was not registered.

None of the eight candidates could win, but they garnered significant votes. Jairam, popularly know as Tiger Jairam Mahto, contested from the Giridih Lok Sabha constituency and won 3,47,322 votes, finishing at third place after the BJP and JMM candidates. In Ranchi, his colleague Devendra Nath Mahato also came in third place, with 1,32,647 votes.

Political observers say that the JKLM may not win seats but Jairam’s growing popularity might as well cut into the existing voter bases of older parties, particularly among Kudmi Mahto voters.

“The JKLM may not win a large number of seats, but JLKM could eat into more established parties’ (BJP, JMM, Ajsu and Congress) support base, particularly among the Kudmi Mahto voters who comprise around 22 per cent of the population,” said Ranchi-based political columnist Sudhir Pal told the telegraph.

Who is Jairam Mahto?

Jairam was born in Dhanbad district’s Maantand village in 1995. His father was an active member in the movement for statehood for Jharkhand.

Jariam first came into the limelight in 2022 for launching a movement in the state after languages considered to be from outside Jharkhand like Bhojpuri, Magahi and Angika were included in the list of regional languages for state-level examinations in 11 districts. He led the protests with the demand that only the local language should be promoted. He also demanded that natives of  Jharkhand should get the jobs in the state and no one from the other states should be allowed.

In June 2023, Jairam and student leaders formed the Jharkhandi Bhasha Sangharsh Khatian Samiti to press for this. The decision was rolled back in the three districts. The Samiti also demanded that Khaitan, or land records, from 1932 be used as the basis for jobs in Jharkhand.

Local issues and Jarkhandi Pride

Three months before the assembly polls, the Election Commission of India registered his political party, Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM).

In his public meetings which draws huge crowds, it is local pride and Jharkhandi identity that Jairam speaks about. The JLKM’s 75-point election manifesto promises to establish anti-corruption bureaus at the district and block levels.

The party has also promised to implement a domicile-based employment policy and that the leaders of the party who win elections will donate 75 per cent of their salaries to the public.