RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Sarva Adivasi Samaj — a prominent organization representing tribal communities — has established its political entity, the Hamar Raj Party (HRP), and declared intentions to nominate candidates for 50 out of the 90 assembly seats in the upcoming Chhattisgarh assembly elections scheduled to be held by the end of November.
"The Hamar Raj Party has been officially registered by the Election Commission and the process for symbol allocation is expected to be completed within a week," veteran tribal leader Arvind Netam, a former Union minister, told TOI.
Akbar Ram Korram, a retired IPS officer, has been designated as the president of the Hamar Raj Party, while BS Ravte will serve as the working president.
Vinod Nagwanshi assumes the role of general secretary and Mahesh Ravte has been appointed the party treasurer.
Netam, who recently left the Congress, mentioned that the HRP would operate under the umbrella of the Chhattisgarh Sarva Adivasi Samaj, which has consistently endeavored to raise awareness among tribal communities on various issues, including tribal rights concerning water, forest, and land.
He stated that tribal communities have long been protesting to emphasize their numerous demands, including the effective implementation of the Panchayat Extension in Scheduled Areas Act (PESA).
However, successive governments have failed to address the problems faced by tribal communities and safeguard their rights.
Netam mentioned that the new party would field candidates in seats reserved for scheduled tribes, including the 12 assembly segments in Bastar, aiming for a triangular contest.
Furthermore, the HRP plans to field candidates in constituencies that have not been adequately served.
Prior to establishing the political party, the Chhattisgarh Sarva Adivasi Samaj had participated in the electoral process during the byelection for the Bhanupratappur (ST) assembly constituency in December last year by nominating Akbar Ram Korram, a retired DIG of police. Although the ruling Congress secured victory with a significant margin, the Sarva Adivasi Samaj candidate garnered more than 23,000 votes but was relegated to the third position.
However, tribal leaders believe that the candidate's ability to secure over 23,000 votes in an assembly byelection, where both the ruling party and the main opposition deployed considerable resources, indicates the potential for a strong performance by their candidates in numerous constituencies during the upcoming assembly elections.
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