Dilip Singh Judeo's fading legacy shrank BJP's tribal vote

Death of veteran leader Dilip Singh Judeo in 2013 led to gradual erosion of BJP’s tribal vote bank in Chhattisgarh. The Congress, on the other hand, has been wooing tribals for a decade and this is one of the reasons for its victory in the state after 15 years.

Raipur: Fading legacy of charismatic leader and Maharaja of erstwhile Jashpur royal family in Chhattisgarh late Dilip Singh Judeo has led to erosion of tribal vote bank of BJP in northern part of the state.

The saffron icon’s legacy has come into sharp focus with BJP drawing blank in north Chhattisgarh in the just-concluded Assembly polls, contributing to its rout in the elections in the state.

Late Judeo had endeared himself among the tribals in central India by engaging himself in various social services besides undertaking the “Ghar wapsi” (homecoming) programme to “re-convert” the tribals to Hinduism, in the region.

His activities had helped the BJP to strengthen its base in tribal areas.

“He had complete sway over tribals, particularly the Hindus, following his re-conversion activities. The tribals were amazed to see the ‘Maharaj’ washing their feet with his own hands during the process of their reconversion. He had acquired demi-god status among the local Hindu tribals,” a senior BJP leader told this newspaper on Friday.

Riding over his popularity among the local tribals, BJP used to sweep the polls in all the seven Assembly constituencies under the Jashpur Lok Sabha constituencies in north Chhattisgarh till 2013.

Even, his charisma had cast spells on tribals in the neighbouring Sarguja region leading to neutralization of influence of the erstwhile Sarguja royal family over the local adivasis.

Scion of ex-Sarguja royal family T.S. Singhdeo is a veteran Congress leader, who has been representing Ambikapur assembly seat in Sarguja district in the last three elections.

Congress was able to make inroads in the Sarguja region for the first time in 2013 Assembly polls by security seven out of total 14 seats in the area following the death of Judeo six months before Chhattisgarh went to the Assembly elections in November 2013. Judeo passed away on August 14, 2013.

The void created by death of the tall saffron politician could not be filled up by BJP leading to erosion of its tribal vote bank in north Chhattisgarh, said a professor of anthropology in Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University (RSU), who did not want to be named.

Judeo’s family failed to carry forward his legacy after his death leading to erosion of tribal vote bank of the BJP in the belt.

While his son Yudhvir Singh Judeo is a former BJP MLA, his nephew Ranvijay Singh Judeo is a sitting Rajya Sabha MP.

Judeo, who used to take pride in his “royal” mustache, was in fact instrumental in bringing the BJP to power in 2003. His famous campaign punch line that “I will shave my moustache if Congress returns to power”, had then caught the imagination of people of Chhattisgarh.

But, a machination hatched allegedly by his political adversaries both in the Congress and the BJP had stopped him from becoming chief minister.

He was falsely framed in a bribery charge, forcing him to resign from the council of ministers in the Atal Behari Vajpayee government and, subsequently, preventing him from becoming the chief minister of Chhattisgarh.

Later, the state BJP leadership allegedly tried to sideline him in the party, apparently, feeling threatened from him. His arch rival and local BJP leader Ganesh Ram Bhagat was allegedly promoted by the state BJP leadership at his cost.

Even, senior BJP leader Ram Pratap Singh who hailed from Jashpur district was later promoted in Jashpur to check Judeo’s influence in the region. However, Judeo, known to be a large-hearted leader, had remained unaffected by all these developments and continued to strengthen the BJP.