Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren won by a margin of 39,791 votes against his rival BJP's Gamliyel Hembram, capping hat-trick from Barhait. Soon after his victory, he posted a message on X, saying, "Jharkhand has won."
Soren, who was seeking a third win from the seat and led the JMM fightback, became the fulcrum of a memorable comeback, overcoming BJP's spirited 'mati, beti, roti' campaign orchestrated by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who camped in Jharkhand for months.
झारखण्ड जीत गया है....
— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) November 23, 2024
झारखण्ड की जनता का हार्दिक आभार और जोहार!
आज इस ऐतिहासिक अवसर पर समस्त राज्यवासियों को अनेक-अनेक बधाई, शुभकामनाएं और जोहार।
जय झारखण्ड!
जय जय झारखण्ड! pic.twitter.com/4aYhSvzcWO
Soren expressed gratitude to people Jharkhand for INDIA bloc’s stellar performance in the assembly polls, asserting that it passed the exam of democracy. "We have passed the exam of democracy in Jharkhand; we will finalise our strategy after the election results,” Soren said at a press conference here. Soren also said Jharkhand is set to script 'Abua Raj, Abua Sarkar' (own state, own govt). Meanwhile, AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir said “Soren is the CM of Jharkhand and will continue to remain so”.
The assembly constituency has gained prominence as it is the assembly seat of Hemant Soren. Located in the Sahibganj district, Barhait, a reserved seat for SC and ST candidates, has been a stronghold of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) for many years. Hemant, facing a turbulent time due to corruption allegations, sought a fourth term.
BJP's Gamliyel Hembram who hoped to challenge Soren's dominance in the region was decimated in style by Soren. It showed Soren's growing clout despite corruption charges. The BJP has focused heavily on issues like alleged Bangladeshi infiltration and corruption in the state under the current JMM government but these isues failed to resonate with voters. Dinesh Soren, a lesser-known candidate from NCP, who was the contestant from the seat, was no match to the bigger political players.
Hemant Soren - a veteran in Barhait politics
Hemant Soren, who has been representing Barhait since 2014, won the Dumka assembly seat in 2009 and again in 2019 alongside Barhait but relinquished Dumka in 2020. Soren’s political career includes serving as Jharkhand’s Deputy Chief Minister (2010–2013), Leader of the Opposition (2014–2019), and a Rajya Sabha member (2009–2010). Earlier this year, Soren stepped down as Chief Minister following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 31 in connection with a land scam case. During his absence, JMM leader Champai Soren briefly held the position. After securing bail, Soren resumed his role as CM on June 28, 2024.
Electorate size
In Jharkhand Assembly elections 2024, Barhait is a part of the 2.59 crore-strong voters. A breakdown shows over 1.31 crore male voters and 1.28 crore female electors across Jharkhand. This time, Barhait witnessed 69.05 % polling.
Who won last time?
Jharkhand election result 2019 saw Hemant Soren winning the Barhait seat with a total of 73,725 votes, securing 53% of the vote share. He won by a significant margin of 25,740 votes. This result reflected the groundswell of support for the JMM in the state, especially among the tribal community.
