Garhwa, Oct 23 (IANS): Union Minister and BJP’s election in-charge for Jharkhand, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, mounted an attack on Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his ministers, accusing them of widespread corruption.

During a campaign event in Garhwa on Wednesday, after BJP candidate Satyendra Nath Tiwari's nomination on Wednesday, Chouhan alleged that the current Jharkhand government has been involved in numerous scams, ranging from sand, coal, and water to even job embezzlement.

Chouhan reminded the people of Soren’s promise to provide five lakh jobs, claiming that instead of fulfilling it, the government’s mismanagement led to the loss of 20 young lives who were undertaking physical tests for the Jharkhand excise police recruitment.

He criticised Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's Garhwa candidate Mithilesh Thakur, accusing him of large-scale corruption while serving as a Minister.

Comparing him to the mythological figure Kumbhakarna, Chouhan said Thakur was regularly involved in corrupt activities throughout the year. He specifically alleged that Thakur misappropriated Rs 5,500 crore from the Jal Jeevan Mission.

Further, Chouhan referred to former Jharkhand Minister Alamgir Alam, currently imprisoned, mentioning that crores of rupees were seized from his PA's servant.

He also accused a Congress MP of hoarding Rs 350 crore, money he said was obtained through exploiting Jharkhand’s resources.

Chouhan emphasised that the Enforcement Directorate’s raids were justified due to such rampant corruption.

He also touched upon the issue of sand shortages for housing projects under Prime Minister Awas Yojna, blaming the Soren government for selling sand instead of providing it freely as promised.

Chouhan assured that if the BJP-led NDA government comes to power, 2.87 lakh jobs will be announced immediately after the first cabinet meeting, and sand will be made free for construction under government schemes.

Elections for 81 Assembly seats of Jharkhand will be held in two phases on November 13 and November 20 while the counting of votes will be taken up on November 23.