Jhargram, a tribal heartland once a hotbed of Maoist insurgency, will see a four-cornered contest this time with Trinamool Congress, CPI-M, Congress and BJP all having put up their candidates.

In 2014, Trinamool’s Uma Soren won this seat with 54 per cent of the votes cast, BJP came third with 1.22 lakh votes and Congress was a distant fourth with 40,000 votes.

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Five years later, the winds of change are once again blowing in this once-Red corridor that has seen little development since Independence. In the last five years, the Trinamool Congress government has implemented several projects, like two major river bridges, roads, up-gradation of hospitals, waters, irrigations, mandis and schools. This apart, the state government is providing rice at Rs 2 per kilo for all residents of Jhargram and implementing several popular projects like Kanyashree and others.

The most effective step the TMC government has taken in Junglemahal was bringing peace by dead-stopping the Maoist activities.

“If the Trinamool Congress bags only one seat in the state in this parliamentary elections, then it should be the Jhargram seat. Because Mamata Banerjee has done a lot more for Jhargram than what she has done for the whole state. But this seat is not sure for Mamata Banerjee. The reasons are different forms of discontent,” said Jiban Tudu, a resident of Belpahari.

The harsh reality of their lives of lifelong toil and permanent poverty has not been changed significantly.

The shadow of this area’s infamous past can still be seen in the surprise commando checks or naka police checking. Picturesque for the outside world, the hills and forests are replete with the dangers lurking behind the facade.

While the forest-dwelling tribals lack experience in agriculture, the options of traditional livelihood like a gathering of wood, Sal and Kendu leaves have also dwindled with rampant deforestation. The demand for forest produces like Sal leaves has drastically diminished with the advent of thermocol and paper plates. The Sal leaves plates have been a traditional source of income for the tribals living in the forest stretch.

The disadvantaged groups of Junglemahal started nurturing hopes of a better life after the regime in West Bengal changed in 2011.

Maoist politburo leader Kishenji was killed by the police the same year. The West Bengal government recruited a large number of young boys and girls in the state police. However, the benefits of jobs went to “the influential groups and powerful families of Junglemahal”, said Jhitku Mandi, a school teacher. He added that those who “had nothing” a few years ago have become quite rich overnight “reportedly with the blessings of the ruling party”.

“The villagers also protest against corruption.” “We are not against Didi (Mamata Banerjee), but we are against her local leaders who are engaged in endless corruption”, said Prakash Mahato, a local youth.

A sense of unease can be noticed among a large chunk of the Bharat Jakat Majhi members now after Birbaha Soren was fielded by the ruling TMC. Birbaha and her husband Rabin Tudu once led the antiTMC movement in the area by floating a social organization called Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal.

The anti-TMC Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal immediately fielded their candidate Narendra Hembram keeping Rabin Tudu in the dark. They even suspended Tudu for not withdrawing his wife’s candidature. Currently, Tudu is not finding any social status among the tribals. The organisation that has nearly 1.5 lakhs tribal members enjoys considerable political clout in the locality.

“These 1.5 lakh tribal voters may not vote for the TMC this time as they have their own candidate, resulting in a dent in the ruling TMC’s vote bank. Moreover, a major section of this organisation may cast their votes in favour of BJP candidate, Kunar Hembram who is an educated tribal leader”, a local said adding that the Trinamul Congress had fielded Birbaha to attract votes of Rabin Tudu’s organisation. “But the TMC’s political strategy does not seem to have clicked,” he said.

On the other hand, proTMC local social tribal organization Bharat Jakat Majhi Maroa which had organised movements against Rabin Tudu’s Majhi Pargana Mahal is also up in arms against the TMC with their 1.40 lakhs members protesting against Birbaha’s candidature.

“We are not sure what our members are going to do this time,” said spokesperson Purna Soren.

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