Jharkhand welcomed its 12th Chief Minister, Champai Soren. The State faced a political crisis when its former Chief Minister, Hemant Soren, resigned before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on money laundering charges. After being interrogated for seven hours at his official residence, Soren was forced to resign, leading to political instability in the state.
It was not surprising when he was arrested, as he knew it was only a matter of time. Many previous Chief Ministers of Jharkhand had resigned due to corruption charges before him. Corruption and defection have often been the reasons for instability in the State. The current crisis has resulted in several problems, including the uncertainty surrounding the newly formed INDIA grouping. Additionally, it may impact the outcome of the 2024 elections, which will take place in less than two months.
Moreover, there are concerns about whether small states are facing political instability. Jharkhand has experienced political instability and Maoist violence since its formation in 2000. In contrast, Chattisgarh, created simultaneously, has been more politically stable. Jharkhand is a state blessed with abundant natural resources, but unfortunately, its people have been struggling with poverty and underdevelopment. This could be attributed to frequent changes in governance and political instability. Jharkhand has had 11 Chief Ministers since it was formed in 2000. Most chief ministers have had brief tenures. Only Raghubar Das from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could complete his five-year term from 2014 to 2019.
Currently, Jharkhand faces a political crisis because of Hemant Soren’s resignation. In addition, the governor, C.P. Radhakrishnan, delayed Champai Soren’s swearing-in ceremony. The State was without a Chief Minister for over 48 hours, but they eventually held the oath-taking ceremony on Friday. Soren’s successor is a loyal party member and State Transport Minister. The Jharkhand Assembly has 81 members, and a government can be formed with 41 members. At present, the JMM-CongressRJD alliance holds a total of 47 members in the legislative assembly. JMM has 29 members, while the Congress has 17 members, and the RJD has only one member.
On the other hand, the BJP has 25 members, and the AJSU has three members. The remaining seats are shared by the NCP and a Left party, each with one member. There are three independent members. The JMM-led alliance was concerned that the opposition BJP try to lure their members away and destabilize their government. The MLAs were quickly taken to a safe place until the new chief minister took the oath. Resort politics is another notorious thing that should be dealt with. The INDIA has also encountered a setback due to the Jharkhand crisis. Hemant Soren played an active role in the situation only two months before the Lok Sabha elections. The cracks developed and became increasingly apparent due to the lack of unity among the INDIA bloc.
Nitish Kumar’s departure, Mamata Banerjee’s announcement that her TMC party will contest all seats in West Bengal, and AAP’s decision to run solo in Punjab all pose a danger to the bloc’s unity. Moreover, a strained relationship between the Congress and Akhilesh Yadav’s SP in Uttar Pradesh further compound the issue. The Opposition accuses the Modi government of targeting several leaders from different parties. These include Delhi’s CM Arvind Kejriwal, Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan, NCP’s Sharad Pawar, and Hemant Soren. There is a concern about whether the creation of smaller states has achieved its intended purpose.
During the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, three small states were formed by dividing larger states – Madhya Pradesh (into Chhattisgarh), Bihar (into Jharkhand), and Uttar Pradesh (into Uttarakhand). The aim of this was to promote development in those regions. However, even after two decades, these states continue to face instability, raising questions about the efficacy of this policy. Sometimes, smaller states may not be better for the people they aim to serve.
This is because smaller assemblies can cause instability as people switch sides. Initially, elections in smaller states tend to focus on local issues, which divides representation among smaller parties and regional leaders who act independently. Although this may seem like a good idea, it can have unintended consequences that negatively affect people’s lives. The stability of smaller states depends on various factors.
Chhattisgarh has direct contests between B.J.P. and Congress. Jharkhand has a multi-party system with national parties relying on regional parties, leading to instability and defections. When no political party wins a clear majority in an election, it can lead to political instability in small and large states. The Anti-Defection Law was created to prevent legislators from switching parties, but it often fails because some lawmakers are tempted by money and power. Political parties need to find a solution to this problem.