Hemant Soren, the chief minister of Jharkhand, visited Guwahati on Tuesday to mobilize support among Assam’s tea tribe and Adivasi communities ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Addressing a large gathering in the Biswanath district, he raised the slogan “Abua Dishum, Abua Raj” (Our Land, Our Rule) and called for stronger land rights, greater political representation, and empowerment of indigenous communities.
Soren, who also heads the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), addressed a rally at Mekalijaan Tea Estate organized jointly by his party and the Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan. The gathering drew thousands of tea garden workers and community members.
Arriving in Guwahati earlier in the day, Soren traveled by helicopter to the rally venue near Mulkata Tea Estate in Biswanath. The visit is seen as part of JMM’s effort to expand its political footprint in Assam and reach out to tribal-dominated regions of the Northeast.
During the rally, Soren was accompanied by JMM’s tea tribe leader Sanjay Hansda, Jharkhand minister Chamra Linda, and leaders of the Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam. Supporters welcomed him with chants of “Johar Adivasi” and “Abua Dishum, Abua Raj.”
In his 20-minute speech, Soren highlighted the hardships faced by tea garden workers and Adivasi communities in Assam. He noted that despite their immense contribution to the plantation economy, many workers still struggle with low wages, limited access to education, and inadequate healthcare.
“For decades you have worked under the sun, yet your rights remain unfulfilled,” Soren said, accusing successive governments of neglecting the concerns of tea tribe communities.
He also criticized the Assam government for failing to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to tea tribe communities, a long-standing demand of several organizations.
Emphasizing the idea of “Abua Raj,” Soren described it as a vision of self-governance where indigenous communities play a decisive role in shaping their future. “In Jharkhand we fought for our rights through democratic struggle. Now people here must unite and claim their rightful place in governance,” he said.
The rally also featured traditional Bihu performances and Adivasi folk songs, highlighting the cultural ties between Assam’s tea tribe communities and Jharkhand’s tribal heritage.
Amid emerging political alignments ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, Soren also attended a meeting organized by the newly formed Jai Bharat Party (JBP) at Mijika in Biswanath district, signaling the possibility of JMM entering Assam’s electoral arena.
Speaking briefly to the media, Soren said discussions were ongoing among local leaders and party workers. “Many things are under discussion. In politics, time moves in its own way, and decisions are taken accordingly,” he said when asked whether JMM would contest the Assam elections.
JBP central president Teharu Gour announced that the newly formed regional party plans to forge an alliance with JMM for the upcoming polls.
According to Gour, the proposed alliance aims to contest around 40 constituencies in the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly. Expressing confidence in the alliance, he said a strong performance could make them an important force in government formation.
“If Soren’s JMM supports us, we are confident of winning all 40 seats,” Gour said, adding that no government in Assam could be formed without the support of JBP and JMM.
Gour also criticized the state government over its handling of floods, describing them as one of Assam’s most pressing issues. He alleged that the government had failed to take adequate measures to address the problem and said smaller communities in the state had not received sufficient attention.
However, he clarified that apart from the understanding with JMM, no decision had yet been taken regarding alliances with other political parties.Hemant Soren, the chief minister of Jharkhand, visited Guwahati on Tuesday to mobilize support among Assam’s tea tribe and Adivasi communities ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Addressing a large gathering in the Biswanath district, he raised the slogan “Abua Dishum, Abua Raj” (Our Land, Our Rule) and called for stronger land rights, greater political representation, and empowerment of indigenous communities.
Soren, who also heads the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), addressed a rally at Mekalijaan Tea Estate organized jointly by his party and the Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan. The gathering drew thousands of tea garden workers and community members.
Arriving in Guwahati earlier in the day, Soren traveled by helicopter to the rally venue near Mulkata Tea Estate in Biswanath. The visit is seen as part of JMM’s effort to expand its political footprint in Assam and reach out to tribal-dominated regions of the Northeast.
During the rally, Soren was accompanied by JMM’s tea tribe leader Sanjay Hansda, Jharkhand minister Chamra Linda, and leaders of the Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam. Supporters welcomed him with chants of “Johar Adivasi” and “Abua Dishum, Abua Raj.”
In his 20-minute speech, Soren highlighted the hardships faced by tea garden workers and Adivasi communities in Assam. He noted that despite their immense contribution to the plantation economy, many workers still struggle with low wages, limited access to education, and inadequate healthcare.
“For decades you have worked under the sun, yet your rights remain unfulfilled,” Soren said, accusing successive governments of neglecting the concerns of tea tribe communities.
He also criticized the Assam government for failing to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to tea tribe communities, a long-standing demand of several organizations.
Emphasizing the idea of “Abua Raj,” Soren described it as a vision of self-governance where indigenous communities play a decisive role in shaping their future. “In Jharkhand we fought for our rights through democratic struggle. Now people here must unite and claim their rightful place in governance,” he said.
The rally also featured traditional Bihu performances and Adivasi folk songs, highlighting the cultural ties between Assam’s tea tribe communities and Jharkhand’s tribal heritage.
Amid emerging political alignments ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, Soren also attended a meeting organized by the newly formed Jai Bharat Party (JBP) at Mijika in Biswanath district, signaling the possibility of JMM entering Assam’s electoral arena.
Speaking briefly to the media, Soren said discussions were ongoing among local leaders and party workers. “Many things are under discussion. In politics, time moves in its own way, and decisions are taken accordingly,” he said when asked whether JMM would contest the Assam elections.
JBP central president Teharu Gour announced that the newly formed regional party plans to forge an alliance with JMM for the upcoming polls.
According to Gour, the proposed alliance aims to contest around 40 constituencies in the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly. Expressing confidence in the alliance, he said a strong performance could make them an important force in government formation.
“If Soren’s JMM supports us, we are confident of winning all 40 seats,” Gour said, adding that no government in Assam could be formed without the support of JBP and JMM.
Gour also criticized the state government over its handling of floods, describing them as one of Assam’s most pressing issues. He alleged that the government had failed to take adequate measures to address the problem and said smaller communities in the state had not received sufficient attention.
However, he clarified that apart from the understanding with JMM, no decision had yet been taken regarding alliances with other political parties.
