A poster war has broken out between rivals BJP and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), with both political parties splashing this sleepy little pilgrim town with rival saffron and green posters both welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The BJP's saffron-colored posters have only Prime Minister Narendra Modi on it with the image of Deoghar Jyotirlinga on it.
While Jharkhand State government and JMM posters have Prime Minister Modi along with Chief Minister Hemant Soren figuring prominently on green coloured posters, the colour preferred by the tribal party.
JMM’s posters say “Johar (Santhali for welcome) PM Narendra Modi”, BJP has chosen the Sanskrit word “Swagatham” which too means welcome.
The ‘war’ over welcoming the Prime Minister seems to be an exercise in muscle-flexing between the two rivals, where neither wishes to concede exclusive eye-ball space to the other. JMM is an ally of Congress and has formed a government in alliance with it. While States routinely put up posters and buntings welcoming the Prime Minister or the President to their States, rival parties rarely put up their own posters welcoming the PM.
JMM has also put up its green coloured flags with its founder Shibu Soren along with its bow and arrow symbol along the route of Mr. Modi's road show.
To counter this, the BJP has set up many stages with performers across the route featuring its several wings - youth, women, farmers.
Several stages have also been put by local communities such as tribal, Sahu samaj and others with support from the BJP.
Among these posters, another regional outfit, the All-Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), once an ally of the BJP has also put up its tricolored green-red-blue flags to mark its presence.
The Prime Minister on Tuesday laid foundation stones for various development projects including an airport here.
