Ranchi: As the high stakes assembly elections in Jharkhand draw near, the polls are going to be historic with the reputation of as many as five former chief ministers, all affiliated with the BJP, at stake directly or indirectly.
Voting will be held for 43 constituencies on November 13 and 38 constituencies on Nov 20. Counting for both the phases will be held on November 28.
This will be the first time in the political history of Jharkhand, when the reputation of five former chief ministers of the state is going to be at stake directly or indirectly on behalf of the BJP. The first name in the list of 66 candidates released by the party is that of state president Babulal Marandi, who is going to try his luck again from Dhanwar. Likewise, former CM, Champai Soren, who joined the BJP from JMM, is contesting from Saraikela. The reputation of former CMs Madhu Koda, Arjun Munda and Raghubar Das is also at stake indirectly in the upcoming polls.
Reputation of five former CMs at stake
The BJP has fielded former CM Arjun Munda's wife Meera Munda from Potka seat reserved for Scheduled Tribes. Former CM Madhu Koda's wife Geeta Koda has been fielded from Jagannathpur reserved for ST. Geeta Koda was made a candidate from Chaibasa in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but she was defeated by Joba Manjhi of JMM.
Current Odisha Governor and former Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das's daughter-in-law Purnima Das Sahu has been fielded by the BJP from Jamshedpur East seat. Before Purnima Das's name was finalized, the name of JD(U) candidate Saryu Rai was doing the rounds on Jamshedpur East. It is said that Raghubar Das, who has been inimical to Rai, vetoed his candidature prompting the BJP to field the latter from Jamshedpur West.
BJP has also fielded Babulal Soren, son of former CM Champai Soren, from Ghatsila. The BJP is expecting Champai Soren to give the saffron party a boost in tribal-dominated Kolhan, given his influence in the division. Kolhan is the only division where BJP could not win even one seat out of 14 in the 2019 elections.
Saffron Party Snubs Three Sitting MLAs
While the BJP has fielded the maximum number of turncoats, it has denied tickets to three of its sitting MLAs. Among them, Jitu Charan Ram, who won the 2014 election, has been fielded from Kanke seat reserved for SC in place of Samari Lal, Ujjwal Das in place of Kishan Das from Simaria seat reserved for SC and Tara Devi has been fielded in place of Sindri MLA Indrajit Mahato.
BJP Banks On NDA Allies In Jharkhand Polls
Learning from the mistake in the 2019 assembly elections when the saffron party decided to go solo, the BJP has decided to contest the Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 with all the allies under the banner of NDA. The ruling JMM, Congress and RJD will contest the elections under the banner of INDIA bloc.
Hemant Soren, Wife Kalpana Soren In Fray
Besides the five former Chief Ministers, the reputation of the incumbent CM Hemant Soren, who is contesting from Barhait and his wife Kalpana Soren from Gandey is also at stake.
Barhait has been the stronghold of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha with the BJP never winning from here. In the 2019 elections, Hemant won from Barhait for the second consecutive time by getting 73725 votes accounting for 53.49% vote share.
Besides the Soren couple, the ruling incumbent Speaker Rabindranath Mahato will be trying his luck as usual from the Nala assembly constituency. Mahato has won from the Nala assembly seat in 2005, 2014 and 2019.
Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri, who has been winning the 2014 and 2019 assembly elections from Chandankiyari, is again contesting from the seat on a BJP ticket.
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