"Strategic Chess Moves: BJP's Play for Tribal Votes"

The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has strategically appointed Raghuvar Das, the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, as the Governor of Odisha. This move is seen as a signal to various factions within the party and the voters, especially in tribal areas.

Former Jharkhand CM Raghuvar Das was made the Governor of Odisha. (file photo)

With Das taking up the governorship, Babulal Marandi is now the clear choice for the Chief Minister’s position. This also paves the way for Saryu Rai, who had defeated Das in the assembly elections as an independent, to possibly rejoin BJP.

The BJP is reinforcing its focus on tribal politics with these appointments. The tribal population in India is significant, around 10.5 crores, and they have 47 reserved seats in the Lok Sabha. Despite good performance in these seats, BJP had lost to Congress in the reserved seats of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan Assembly in the 2018 elections.

Tribal votes hold great importance for BJP. The party’s loss of power in three states can be attributed to its defeat on tribal seats. By appointing Marandi to lead Jharkhand and moving Das away from active politics, BJP is attempting to regain favor with tribal voters.

In 2014, BJP appointed Das, known for his assertive politics, as the first non-tribal Chief Minister of Jharkhand. However, this move backfired as BJP faced defeat in the 2019 elections. By making way for Marandi, a tribal leader, BJP aims to recover its lost vote bank and solidify its standing in tribal politics. This strategic shift indicates that BJP is learning from past experiences and is ready to adapt for future victories.