Kurmi demand for ST status meets BJP's anti-corruption plank, TMC's development card in Purulia
Purulia Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal with lack of industrialisation and corruption allegations dominating the poll narrative in the backdrop of the omnipresent local Kurmi struggle for Scheduled Tribe status. The stage in this Kurmi-majority seat looks all set for a fierce three-cornered battle between incumbent BJP MP Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato, TMC's former state minister Shantiram Mahato and Congress's old war horse Nepal Mahato, all of who are represent the Kurmi scheduled caste community.
While the BJP perceptively earned the Kurmi confidence to dislodge the TMC from the seat in 2019, the latter, in its bid to regain the community's support in the region, has announced in its poll manifesto that it will stand by its demand for ST status and pursue the Centre for its approval.
Even smaller parties like SUCI (Communist) have fielded candidates from the same community in the form of young student leader Sushmita Mahato.
Political analyst Debashis Ghorai, professor at Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, said with most of the political parties fielding Kurmi candidates, there is a chance of a split in Kurmi votes, which could make things tough for the TMC candidate.
Lok Sabha Elections#Elections With
- All
- Uttar Pradesh
- Maharashtra
- Tamil Nadu
- West Bengal
- Bihar
- Karnataka
- Andhra Pradesh
- Telangana
- Kerala
- Madhya Pradesh
- Rajasthan
- Delhi
- Other States
Andhra Pradesh Lok Sabha Elections: Visakhapatnam to witness a 3-corner contest
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to meet with AAP MLAs today, first after exit from jail
LS Polls
Read more on economictimes.indiatimes.com
