Summary:
more-inIn tribal-dominated Jhargram and Purulia districts of West Bengal, the BJP performed remarkably well in the recently concluded rural elections. In Purulia, which has about 20% tribal population, the BJP bagged 33% as compared to the TMC’s 43% seats. In at least one block in Jhargram, on the Bengal-Jharkhand border, the BJP left seats for a tribal outfit, Adivasi Samanvay Manch, backed by the outlawed CPI(Maoist). Mukul Roy, former TMC leader who is now with the BJP, spent substantial time in the area before the election. “We did not put up candidates where they [ASM] did, as we both were fighting the TMC to limit vote division..