Who is 'tiger' Jairam Mahato? What does his new party mean for Jharkhand?

JKLM fielded candidates in 73 of Jharkhand's 81 constituencies. Jairam Mahato is contesting from two key seats: Dumri and Bermo

Amid Jharkhand’s fifth legislative Assembly elections, a new party has emerged to shake up the political landscape. The Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JKLM) has entered the fray, challenging the dominance of the state’s traditional powerhouses in an already intense electoral battle. Led by 30-year-old Jairam Mahato, JKLM is challenging the established INDIA bloc, headed by the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and the National Democratic Alliance led by Bharatiya Janata Party.

 

Who is ‘tiger’ Jairam?

Known to his supporters as “Tiger Jairam”, Jairam Mahato was born in 1995 in Maantand village of Dhanbad district.

 

Mahato’s comes from a family with deep roots in Jharkhand’s statehood movement. He first gained attention in 2022 when he spearheaded protests against the inclusion of languages like Bhojpuri, Magahi, and Angika in state-level examinations across 11 districts. His argument centered on promoting Jharkhandi languages and protecting local employment for the state’s native population.

 

 

In June 2023, Mahato and other student leaders formed the Jharkhandi Bhasha Sangharsh Khatian Samiti, which pushed for policies favouring native residents. Their campaign successfully reversed the language policy in three districts and demanded the use of 1932 land records (Khatian) as the basis for determining domicile status and job eligibility.

 

Formation of JKLM

In August 2024, just three months before the elections, the Election Commission of India formally registered the JKLM as a political party. Mahato’s organisation built its agenda around local pride and Jharkhandi identity.

 

Its leaders promised to donate 75 per cent of their salaries to public welfare if elected.

 

The party also committed to establishing anti-corruption bureaus at district and block levels, implementing a domicile-based employment policy, and protecting the interests of the Kudmi Mahto community, which comprises 15 per cent of the state’s population.

 

Contesting the 2024 Jharkhand elections

For its debut assembly election, the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha fielded candidates in 73 of Jharkhand’s 81 constituencies. Jairam Mahato himself is contesting from two key seats: Dumri and Bermo, where voter turnout was recorded at 64.52 per cent and 66 per cent, respectively, during the second phase of polling. The overall voter turnout for Phase II stood at 68.45 per cent across 38 constituencies.

 

While JKLM is unlikely to secure significant victories, its influence could fragment the voter base of major parties, particularly among the Kudmi Mahto community and other sections that resonate with Mahato’s messages.

 

This is not Jairam Mahato’s first electoral battle. During the Lok Sabha elections, he and other party members contested eight seats as independents, as JKLM was not yet registered. While none of the candidates won, they gained substantial support. Mahato himself secured 347,322 votes in Giridih, finishing third.

 

As Jharkhand awaits the counting of votes on November 23, 2024, all eyes will be on how JKLM’s performance influences the political landscape of the state.