Ghatshila (ST) assembly constituency looks all set for an interesting battle of ballots as the sitting MLA and minister, Ramdas Soren, of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is defending his seat. Replacing former Chief Minister Champai Soren in the Jharkhand state cabinet, Ghatshila MLA Ramdas Soren was sworn in as a minister in Jharkhand's Hemant Soren-led government. Champai Soren, who had taken oath as a minister in the Hemant Soren cabinet quit the JMM in August.
Meanwhile, Babulal Soren, son of former Chief Minister Champai Soren, who is touted as a 'dark horse' is fielded by BJP. Ramdas, 61, a two-term MLA, is in the fray from Ghatsila for the fourth time in a row. The advantage for the JMM leader is that there’s no Congress candidate in the race.
The poll planks on the table for the candidates are the long-standing demand for the creation of a new district comprising the seven blocks of the sub-division, irrigation facilities, a blood bank, and a professional university. The demand to open the closed copper mines of Kendadih and Rakha, besides the smelter plant in the copper town Musaboni and the speedy progress of the Dhalbhumgarh airport project, are other issues. Ghatshila witnessed 75.85 % polling this year.
Who won last time?
In the 2019 assembly elections, Ramdas Soren from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) won the seat with 63,531 votes, followed by BJP’s Lakhan Chandra Mardi with 56,807 votes while AJSU candidate Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu with 31,910 votes.
