Bokaro, Oct. 14: Branding Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the state “a political stunt and high-level drama”, Shibu Soren said that these cheap gimmicks to win over tribals would not have any impact on voters here.

“Such visits to the tribal land were even undertaken by Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and even Sonia Gandhi, but did these help uplift the lifestyle of poor tribals who are made scapegoats by these high-flying politicians?” Soren told reporters at his Sector I home here this morning. “If Rahul really has affection for tribals, he should build a hut and adopt tribal culture in New Delhi,” Guruji scoffed.

On the Centre’s decision to withdraw about 1 lakh cases against tribals, Soren said this was a calculated move to misguide tribals to take them in the Congress-fold. “If the government is serious to help tribals, it should abolish such laws for which the tribals have suffered and faced police atrocities,” Soren said.

The JMM chief also announced that he would lead an agitation if people displaced by Bokaro Steel were not provided justice within 15 days.

Guruji threatened that the agitation would start from Bodrotand village where construction of the boundary wall of Bokaro steel plant — under its modernisation and expansion work — was going on despite objections by local residents.

Calling Governor Sankaranarayanan a “Congress agent”, Soren advocated immediate Assembly elections to solve problems of Naxalism and displaced people.

“Development is the remedy to all Naxalite problems. Do villages, after 62 years of Independence, have drinking water, electricity, jobs for the unemployed? Naxalite problem can be solved in a very short span once developmental projects take off,” he said.

“Jharkhand needs a stable government for five years and JMM has decided to contest all the 81 Assembly seats. The party is also in the final stage to select candidates,” Soren added.