The Jharkhand assembly election results have largely met the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM) expectations, leaving the INDIA Bloc ecstatic. In contrast, the BJP led NDA, despite all its best efforts, failed to perform during the elections held in two phases.
The results clearly indicate that JMM is poised to form the government for the second consecutive term with Hemant Soren creating a history of becoming the first Chief Minister to return for the second time in a row.
Notably, the Soren family is also jubilant as three out of four family members have emerged victorious in the Jharkhand assembly elections.
Hemant Soren’s sister in-law faces defeat
Sita Soren, is the only member of the Soren family to face defeat. She contested against Irfan Ansari, a two-time winner from the Jamtara assembly seat.
Despite initially taking the lead, Sita Soren was eventually overtaken by Irfan Ansari, who secured an impressive victory with a margin of 43,676 votes, as per the Election Commission.
The Jamtara region has a significant population of Muslims and tribals, who are reportedly influenced by Irfan and his father, Furkan Ansari, a veteran Congress leader. According to an assessment, Hemant Soren is also extremely popular among the tribal population which is also a factor in Irfan Ansari’s massive win.
Sita Soren had defected from JMM to join the BJP ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections. She was fielded by the BJP from Dumka, but was defeated by the JMM candidate Nalin Soren. Subsequently, the BJP fielded her in Jamtara in the recently held assembly elections but suffered another defeat.
During the Jharkhand elections, a controversy erupted over a statement made by Irfan Ansari, but it had no impact on the results.
Hemant Soren’s hat-trick
Chief Minister Hemant Soren has once again achieved a spectacular victory in Barhait, scoring a hat-trick. He had also emerged victorious in 2014 and 2019. Throughout the election, Hemant Soren maintained a steady lead, while the BJP candidate, Gamaliel Hembrom, failed to gain traction.
Soren successfully swayed voters in his favor, further solidifying his position. The Barhait assembly constituency has a total of 2.25 lakh voters, comprising approximately 1.15 lakh women and 1.10 lakh men.