Jharkhand: Odisha governor Raghubar Das under fire for electioneering

Odisha governor Raghubar Das has come under fire for actively participating in the ongoing election campaign in Jharkhand, raising concerns over the violation of constitutional norms.

Das, a former chief minister of Jharkhand, has been campaigning for his daughter-in-law, Purnima Das, who is contesting from Jamshedpur East — a seat the Odisha governor himself held five times in a row — on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.

His actions have sparked a political storm in the poll-bound state.

Criticism from opposition leaders has been swift and scathing.

Congress leader Ajoy Kumar, who is also contesting from the Jamshedpur East seat, accused Das of misusing his constitutional office for political gain. He demanded that Das resign as governor and directly contest the elections if he wants to engage in active politics.

"If Raghubar Das has the courage, he should step down and contest the elections himself. This cowardly tactic of using a woman candidate to avoid direct confrontation is a sign of weakness," Kumar said at a press conference.

He further slammed the BJP for violating the Constitution, accusing Das of "tearing it to shreds" by involving himself in electioneering while holding a gubernatorial post.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also joined the chorus of criticism, calling for the abolition of the governor's post altogether. She expressed outrage over the growing politicisation of the governor’s office and urged the President of India to take immediate action against Das.

"The role of governor needs to be abolished. This blatant disregard for the constitutional chair and its responsibilities is unacceptable. Since 2014, we have seen a constant undermining of the governor’s office. I hope this action from Raghubar Das prompts the honorable rashtrapati to intervene," Chaturvedi said.

The controversy has stirred a heated debate over the impartiality expected from a governor, whose role is constitutionally mandated to remain apolitical. By participating in his party's campaign, critics argue, Das has violated the very objective of his office, creating a constitutional and ethical crisis ahead of Jharkhand's assembly elections.

Das has a long history in Jharkhand politics, having represented the Jamshedpur East constituency for several terms. He was first elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1995 from Jamshedpur East and went on to win from the same seat five consecutive times. His deep ties to the constituency have amplified the controversy surrounding his current role in the campaign.