Tribal issues come to the fore as poll battle heats up in Jharkhand

All but one CM have been members of ST communities. Still two-thirds of tribal-dominated districts have high levels of multidimensional poverty

As Assembly polls draw closer in Jharkhand, constituencies reserved for scheduled tribes (STs) that comprise over one-third of the state’s total assembly seats hold the key for political parties.

  Of the total 81 constituencies in Jharkhand, 28 are reserved for STs. The importance of STs could be gauged from the fact that of the total 13 chief ministers, only one — Raghubar Das of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — has been a non-tribal. Interestingly, he was the only one to complete a full term from 2014-2019.   

The BJP is relying on the defection of prominent tribals from the