Ranchi: Jharkhand has geared up for the upcoming elections for its 81 Assembly seats. Likewise previous occasions, the trend of fielding turncoat candidates continues but the impact that defection has on voters is something that remains to be seen.
Although all parties have fielded turncoats, the highest number of such candidates are in BJP followed by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Samajwadi Party (SP). The saffron party has given tickets to eight turncoats while JMM has fielded seven and SP six candidates who switched allegiances.
Here's a list of some defectors:
- Champai Soren (BJP)
BJP has given ticket to former Chief Minister and JMM leader Champai Soren, who had joined the saffron party, from Saraikela. Not only this, BJP, which is often vocal on nepotism has also given ticket to Champai Soren's son Babulal Soren from Ghatsila. Champai Soren is known as 'Kolhan Tiger' and the party believes his presence will have a significant impact in the entire Kolhan region. However, in 2019 elections, Champai Soren had managed to win by a very small margin against BJP's Ganesh Mahali.
- Lobin and Sita (BJP)
BJP has also included JMM's disgruntled Lobin Hembram in its party and fielded him from Borio. Lobin was an MLA from Borio and contested as an independent candidate from Rajmahal seat in Lok Sabha elections but was defeated. After being expelled by JMM for six years, Lobin had joined BJP.
On the other hand, Durga Soren's wife Sita Soren has been given ticket from Jamtara. Sita Soren had joined BJP before the Lok Sabha elections and BJP had fielded her from Dumka but she was defeated.
- Manju Devi and Geeta Koda (BJP)
BJP has fielded Geeta Koda, a Congress MP and wife of former CM Madhu Koda, from Jagannathpur seat. Geeta Koda had joined BJP a few months before the Lok Sabha elections and BJP gave her ticket from Singhbhum seat but she was defeated by JMM's Joba Manjhi.
Another former Congress leader who joined BJP, Manju Devi, has been fielded from Jamua seat.
- Kamlesh Singh and Roshan Lal (BJP)
BJP has named Kamlesh Kumar Singh, who joined from NCP, as a candidate from Hussainabad and Roshan Lal Chaudhary, who joined from AJSU, has been fielded from Barkagaon.
Coming to JMM, the party has given tickets to seven rebel candidates, of whom four are from BJP, two from AJSU and one from its ally RJD.
- Louise Marandi (JMM)
Former BJP leader Louise Marandi wanted ticket from Dumka assembly seat, but BJP fielded Sunil Soren leaving the former angry and he joined JMM. JMM has fielded her from Jama seat.
- Ganesh Mahali (JMM)
JMM has given ticket to Ganesh Mahali, who joined from BJP, from Saraikela. It is believed that Ganesh wanted to contest from Saraikela, but after Champai Soren joined BJP, the party fielded him from this seat. Ganesh had lost to Champai Soren by a few votes in the last election. Being denied ticket, Ganesh Mahali got angry and joined JMM, which named him from Saraikela. Now, this seat is set to witness an interesting fight.
JMM has also given ticket to these rebels
- BJP MLA Kedar Hazra had left the party after Manju Devi was fielded from Jamua. After joining JMM, he has been fielded from Jamua. JMM has also given ticket to Anant Pratap Dev, who joined from BJP, from Bhawanathpur. Others namely MT Raja has been fielded from Rajmahal and former AJSU leader Umakant Rajak from Chandankiyari.
- RJD's Uday Shankar Singh and Radhakrishna Kishore have been named by JMM from Sarath and Chhatarpur while Lal Suraj, who joined from BJP, has been fielded from Panki seat
SP has given tickets to six rebels
- SP has given tickets to six turncoats among whom, four are from RJD, one each from Congress and BSP. SP has fielded RJD's Girinath Singh as a candidate from Garhwa and Mamta Bhuiyan from Chhatarpur. Raghupal Singh has been named from Manika and Kamlesh Yadav from Hussainabad seat.
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