Ranchi: CM Hemant Soren on Monday addressed voters of Rongonadi and Chabua assembly constituencies in poll-bound Assam via telephone after failing to visit the area. He later claimed in an X post that he was prevented from campaigning in the area citing the Prime Minister’s programme.Hemant wrote, “I was even prevented from meeting my brothers and sisters of the Chabua assembly constituency in Assam, but such a conspiracy by the opponents will never succeed. High with the arrogance of power, democracy and constitutional institutions are being misused so that the truth does not reach the people. Stopping campaigns, blocking paths — this is their policy. But our struggle will neither bend nor stop.”He added, “This fight is not just about elections, but about honour, rights, and survival. Denying the tribal communities of Assam their ST rights is nothing short of a massive national injustice. The tea plantation workers deserve a minimum wage of Rs 500, and we will secure this right for them. We will ensure the tribal society gets its due rights. I appeal to all of you to unite, because your unity alone will be the biggest defeat for those who have exploited you for years. Jai Assam! Jai Johar!”On Sunday, Hemant’s wife and Gandey MLA, Kalpana Soren, one of the star campaigners for JMM in Assam, too alleged that she was forced to address voters of Margherita constituency over phone.She said, “There was a programme in Khumtai-Naharkatia but the administration didn’t grant approval for helipad landing due to which I could not reach there in person.”Voting in Assam will take place on April 9. Hemant-led JMM, which runs an alliance govt in Jharkhand with Congress and RJD, is fighting solo in the northeastern state after a seat-sharing deal with the Congress failed.
