Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren launched a sharp criticism against the BJP on Sunday, alleging that the party maintains connections with Bangladesh while blaming the state for cross-border infiltration concerns.

During a rally in Ranka within the Garhwa Assembly seat, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader challenged the BJP's “double standards” on Bangladesh. He questioned why the central government had allowed former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to seek refuge in India after her ouster, suggesting the BJP’s stance on the issue lacks consistency.

Soren also addressed Prime Minister Modi, asking, "You took an oath under the Constitution, pledging equal rights for all. Why, then, did you permit Sheikh Hasina’s helicopter to land here? On what grounds have you given her shelter?"

The Chief Minister’s comments came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah, at a rally in Ranchi, accused the JMM government of supporting Bangladeshi infiltrators and warned of changing demographics in Jharkhand due to dwindling tribal populations. Shah pledged that a BJP-led government would introduce stringent laws to reclaim land from infiltrators and remove them from Jharkhand.

In response, Soren questioned the Centre’s policies, particularly why electricity generated in Jharkhand is sent to Bangladesh while locals suffer from pollution caused by these power plants. He asserted that it is the Centre’s responsibility to secure borders and control infiltration, not the states, and claimed that infiltration is often reported in BJP-ruled states.

Soren’s comments come as Jharkhand prepares for Assembly elections on November 13 and 20, with results set to be announced on November 23. The ruling JMM, part of the INDIA bloc, will contest 43 of the 81 seats, while allies Congress and RJD have been allocated 30 and six seats respectively. The CPI(ML) will contest in four seats.