Ranchi: A massive tribal gathering at Ranchi’s Morhabadi Ground on Sunday turned into a major political show of strength, with the proposed delimitation exercise emerging as the central issue. Organisers claimed that nearly five lakh tribals from across Jharkhand participated in the mega-rally, demanding that delimitation be deferred until 2029.
The rally, organised under the leadership of former minister and Congress Working President Bandhu Tirkey, witnessed the participation of several senior Congress leaders, including state in-charge K. Raju and state president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh. Minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey was also actively involved in the arrangements.
✅ यही वह ताकत है हमारी…..
जो हमेशा ही जनहित के प्रति समर्पित होकर बिना किसी भेदभाव के सभी की सेवा, विकास और सभी के प्रति समर्पित होकर राजनीतिक जीवन जीने और अपना उत्तरदायित्व निभाने की प्रेरणा देती है.✅ आज राजधानी रांची के ऐतिहासिक मोरहाबादी मैदान में आयोजित आदिवासी एकता… pic.twitter.com/MIbm89w28Y
— BANDHU TIRKEY (@bandhu_tirkey) August 30, 2026
The stage itself reflected the event’s political overtones, featuring photographs of Chief Minister Hemant Soren on one side and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi on the other.
Organisers said the gathering was aimed at protecting tribal identity, rights and political representation amid concerns over the possible impact of future delimitation on Jharkhand’s reserved constituencies. Social activist Dayamani Barla, who attended the rally, said tribals had been central to the struggle for Jharkhand and warned against any move that could weaken their political representation.
Barla pointed out that Jharkhand currently has 28 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes and argued that tribal representation should be strengthened rather than reduced. She warned that any attempt to marginalise tribal communities in the name of delimitation could trigger a wider mass movement.
रांची में आदिवासी एकता महाजुटान रैली में बंधु तिर्की ने भरी हुंकार, बोले- हमारा हक छीनने की कोशिश हुई तो कर देंगे ठीकhttps://t.co/zKDeBPaHU0@VikrantBhuria @bandhu_tirkey @ShilpiNehaTirki @HemantSorenJMM @RajeshKinc @INCIndia @INCJharkhand_ #Jharkhand @TribalArmy #Tribal pic.twitter.com/EW1ZDBRlrI
— ETV Bharat Jharkhand (@ETVBharatJH) August 30, 2026
Congress links delimitation with tribal rights
Congress leaders used the rally to underline concerns over delimitation as well as the proposed Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, arguing that tribal communities and local stakeholders must have a greater say in decisions concerning Jharkhand’s mineral wealth and natural resources.
The large participation of Congress leaders and workers gave the gathering a distinctly political character. With tribal voters playing a crucial role in Jharkhand’s electoral politics, the rally also served as an opportunity for the Congress-led alliance to consolidate its outreach among tribal communities.
Reports that church bodies had appealed to people to attend also added another dimension to the gathering, with a sizeable number of Christian tribals joining the event.
Tribal organisations challenge Congress’ claim
However, the rally was not without controversy. Several tribal organisations accused the Congress and Bandhu Tirkey of using the tribal banner for political mobilisation. In a joint statement, leaders including Kendriya Sarna Samiti president Bablu Munda, general secretary Ashok Munda and representatives of other tribal organisations alleged that a Church-backed political mobilisation was being projected as a broader tribal movement.
They maintained that while religious organisations were free to organise movements in their own name, any attempt to conduct a political campaign in the name of the entire tribal community would face opposition.
Sameer Oraon attacks Congress
Former BJP ST Morcha national president and former Rajya Sabha MP Sameer Oraon launched a sharp attack on the Congress, alleging that the party had misled tribals into attending the rally.
Oraon claimed the gathering was essentially a Congress rally presented as a tribal mobilisation and accused the party of deliberately creating fear over delimitation instead of explaining its constitutional and political implications.
He alleged that the Congress was attempting to treat tribals as a vote bank and said the party would face political consequences for what he described as “deceiving” the community.
Hemant Soren skips, but delimitation remains key
Chief Minister Hemant Soren did not attend the rally, despite his photograph being prominently displayed at the venue. His absence, however, did not diminish the gathering’s political significance, as the demand to defer delimitation remained at the heart of the proceedings.
The Morhabadi gathering thus emerged as a three-way political narrative: tribal organisations demanding protection of identity and representation, the Congress-led alliance seeking to turn delimitation into a major tribal issue, and the BJP accusing the ruling alliance of exploiting tribal sentiments for electoral gains.
The bigger political question now is whether the delimitation issue will evolve into a sustained tribal mobilisation in Jharkhand or remain a flashpoint of the state’s increasingly competitive electoral politics.
