During a campaign in Jagiroad, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed confidence that tea tribe and Adivasi voters would shift their support to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in the upcoming Assam elections. He criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for neglecting the needs of tea garden communities, claiming that their lives have not improved under the current government. Soren highlighted the inadequacy of recent wage increases for tea workers and promised that if his party's candidate, Bharat Nayak, is elected, efforts would be made to enhance wages and improve basic facilities for tea workers. The Assam Cabinet recently approved a Rs 30 increase in daily wages for tea garden workers, raising the minimum wage to Rs 280 in the Brahmaputra valley and Rs 258 in the Barak valley. With over 10 lakh tea workers in Assam, the tea tribes play a significant role in determining election outcomes in approximately 30-35 seats.