Jhargram, April 21 -- In the dense sal forests and scattered habitations of Jhargram district, the seemingly subdued run-up to the West Bengal Assembly polls masks a decisive reality - the election here is not simply a contest of candidates or party symbol, but a test of credibility among historically marginalised groups.
Nearly half of the district's population belongs to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, placing this vast and diverse electorate at the centre of the region's political contest.
With Scheduled Castes accounting for 20.13 per cent and Scheduled Tribes 29.32 per cent of the population, the combined weight of these communities - close to 49.5 per cent - has transformed the electoral contest into a finely balanced struggl...