VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, April 5: The ambitious ongoing digital membership drive of the Jharkhand Congress is set to crash far below the target as the party has been able to enroll only 1,09,133 new members when the drive is going to conclude on April 15.
Despite the Congress being in the government with four ministers, 16 MLAs and two MPs it failed to revive the fate of the Congress in Jharkhand. Even ministers are the worst performers.
For instance, in the Jarmundi assembly represented by agriculture minister Badal Patralekh 495 new members have joined the Congress through the digital medium according to the provisional data available on April 4. Pakur assembly MLA and minister Alamgir Alam could enroll 3189 members. Lohardaga assembly seat represented by finance minister Dr Rameshwar Oraon a total of 4929 new members have been enrolled. Jamshedpur (East) has made 7064 new members which is represented by health minister Banna Gupta. The health minister may claim that his performance was better than his other cabinet colleagues. But Jharkhand Congress as an organization has failed collectively to increase the base of the party.
It was expected that these ministers would use their influence to swell membership in their constituency and the district as well. The Congress has two MPs namely Vijay Hansda from Rajmahal seat and Gita Koda from West Singhbhum. Rajmahal covering six assembly seats the Congress could hardly muster 4359 members. So is the case with West Singhbhum having an equal number of assembly constituencies where 10618 new members have been made through the digital drive.
In mid of January, the Jharkhand Congress had announced to start a membership drive by adopting a digital enrolment process. Jharkhand unit chief Rajesh Thakur had told the media that the party intended to increase the number of party members to 15 lakh in Jharkhand. The drive started right after. The central leadership of the Congress developed a specific membership enrolment app for the nationwide membership drive. The user will have to download it on android phones. Certain credentials will have to be filled-up like voter cards, phone numbers and photos to stop any fakery.
Congress’ score chart in 2019 assembly election
The Congress is the key alliance partner in the Hemant Soren-led JMM-Congress-RJD government. It had won 16 assembly seats out of 31 seats it contested in 2019 in alliance with the JMM and the RJD. Out of a total 1,48,43,858 votes cast, the Congress netted 20,88,863 votes which is 14.1 percent. But the same is not reflected in the membership drive.
The Congress insiders explained a sundry of issues like the poor not having an android phone to be a member, lack of connectivity and many others. “Unlike the BJP the process and the verification are very rigorous. This is only a provisional figure,” said a leader. However, in the face of such convenient arguments, there are states where the membership drive has been very successful.
In the list of under performers are UmaShankar Akela of Barhi (115) followed by Amba Prasad of Barkagaon (178), Naman Bixel Kongari of Kolebira (162), Irfan Ansari of Jamtara (325), Jai Mangal Singh of Bermo (350), Purnima Niraj Singh of Jharia (711), Bhushan Bara of Simdega (1019), Ramchandra Singh of Manika (1412), Mamata Devi of Ramgarh (1519), Rajesh Kacchap of Khijri (2464), Sonaram Sinku of Jagannathpur (4747) and Dipika Pandey Singh of Mahagama who has made 6757 new members.
Poraiyahat MLA Pradeep Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey from Mandar who have also associated with the Congress contributed to the membership drive. In the constituency of Pradeep Yadav, 11479 people have enrolled in the membership whereas in Mandar 2865 new members have been registered.