The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, revealing a total of 66 candidates. Notably, former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren is fielded from his Saraikela bastion while Sita Soren fielded from Father-in-law and JMM chief Shibu Soren’s former constituency Jamtara. The party’s state chief Babulal Marandi will contest from Dhanwar, while JMM turncoat Lobin Hembrom will contest from Borio.
Hembrom, who recently joined the BJP after rebelling during the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) floor test, has been given a ticket by the party. Champai Soren’s son Babulal Soren will contest the upcoming polls from Ghatshila, while Meera Munda, wife of former Union Minister Arjun Munda, will stand for election from Potka. Sudarshan Bhagat, a former Union Minister, has also been fielded by the party.
Other key candidates include Geeta Balmuchu from Chaibasa and Geeta Koda from Jaganathpur. Congress turncoat Manju Devi, who joined the BJP this week, has got a ticket from the Jamua seat.
BJP releases the first list of 66 candidates for the #JharkhandElection2024
Party’s state chief Babulal Marandi to contest from Dhanwar, Lobin Hembrom from Borio, Sita Soren from Jamtara, former CM Champai Soren from Saraikella, Geeta Balmuchu from Chaibasa, Geeta Koda from… pic.twitter.com/uXhfDpfTxq
— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2024
Jharkhand Election 2024: BJP To Contest 68 Seats Under NDA Seat-Sharing Formula
On Friday, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced its seat-sharing arrangement for the elections. Under this formula, the BJP will contest 68 seats, the AJSU Party will field candidates in 10 constituencies, JD(U) will contest 2, and LJP (Ram Vilas) will have 1 candidate.
The filing of nomination papers for 43 assembly constituencies, which will vote in the first phase on November 13, commenced on Friday and will continue until October 25. In the 2019 elections, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led alliance secured 47 seats in the state assembly, comprising 30 seats for JMM and 16 for the Congress. The BJP managed to win 25 seats, while the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) secured 3 seats, the AJSU Party won 2, and CPI-ML, NCP, and independent candidates claimed 1 seat each.
Currently, the Jharkhand assembly consists of 74 members, with the JMM-led ruling alliance holding 44 seats. Notably, two JMM legislators, Nalin Soren and Joba Majhi, are now members of Parliament. Additionally, Sita Soren, the Jamtara legislator, resigned to contest the Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket. Borio MLA Lobin Hembrom has also been disqualified under the anti-defection law.
The BJP’s strength has decreased to 23 members, with two of its MLAs—Dhulu Mahto from Baghmara and Manish Jaiswal from Hazaribag—now serving as MPs. Mandu MLA Jaiprakash Bhai Patel, who switched to Congress prior to the Lok Sabha elections, was also disqualified under the anti-defection law.
In total, 2.60 crore electors, including 11.84 lakh first-time voters, as well as 1.13 lakh persons with disabilities, third-gender individuals, and senior citizens aged over 85, are eligible to vote in the forthcoming elections.