Louis Marandi in Dumka on Sunday. Telegraph picture

Dumka, Sept. 2: Member of the BJP’s national working committee Louis Marandi has lashed out against successive representatives of Santhal Pargana for the lack of development of the region.

Louis, who had lost marginally to JMM’s Hemant Soren in the election to the local Assembly seat, today said that former chief ministers Babulal Marandi and Shibu Soren had failed to fulfil the aspirations of Santhal Pargana, despite representing the Dumka parliamentary seat.

“Apart from being the chief minister, both had become Union ministers even before the creation of Jharkhand. But they failed to bring their constituency into the limelight in terms of ensuring any serious development work,” she said.

She also blamed former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi, a former Dumka MLA, and current legislator Hemant Soren for indifference towards the local people, who were faced with crises in almost all spheres.

“Dumka lags behind not only in terms of industrialisation but also agriculture, causing large-scale migration of local labourers. The people displaced by the Massanjore dam on Mayurakshi river are yet to be compensated. But the matter was neither raised in Parliament by the leaders nor taken up by those at the helm of affairs in the state.”

Referring to the deteriorating health care in Dumka and other parts of the region, Louis said that most of the government hospitals and health centres were only recognised for referring patients to other places.

Louis was quick to refer to Godda MP Nishikant Dubey, who according to her was an example for other leaders in introducing development projects in the region.