The political arena of Jharkhand is set for a significant shift as the state gears up for the first phase of the 2024 Assembly elections tomorrow, November 13. With all 81 assembly seats at stake in both the phases, candidates from major political parties are stepping into the spotlight, each vying to make their mark in this crucial electoral battle.
In phase 1 of the elections, 43 seats are up for polls.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the ruling party led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, is fielding a robust lineup of candidates.
Hemant Soren will contest from Barhait, aiming to secure his position as chief minister once again, bolstered by his leadership during the previous term. Other notable candidates include Kalpana Soren, his wife, who is running from the Gandey Assembly seat, and Basant Soren, his brother, who is contesting from Dumka.
The JMM has announced a total of 41 candidates, retaining several incumbents, including Chamra Linda from Bishunpur and Sukhram Oraon from Chakradharpur. Additionally, Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji will contest from Ranchi, bringing her parliamentary experience to the state Assembly.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the main opposition party, is contesting 68 seats and features prominent leaders such as former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, who will run from the Dhanwar seat. The BJP aims to capitalize on its previous successes in the Lok Sabha elections, where it secured a significant number of seats.
In Seraikella, Champai Soren, a former Chief Minister and BJP candidate, is also running for election. He has a strong following among tribal voters and joined the BJP earlier this year because he was unhappy with the current Chief Minister, Hemant Soren.
In Jaganathpur, Geeta Koda, who is from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the wife of former Chief Minister Madhu Koda, will compete against Congress leader Sona Ram Sinku in an election.
Indian National Congress (INC), part of the opposition alliance INDIA, is contesting 30 seats and has announced 21 candidates so far. Key figures include Rameshwar Oraon, the state Congress president, who is contesting from the Lohardaga seat reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST). The party is expected to unveil more candidates as the election date approaches.
Also the Health Minister of Congress, Banna Gupta, is facing a tough election battle in Jamshedpur West against Saryu Roy, a leader from Janata Dal (United). Saryu Roy is notable for having defeated the former Chief Minister Raghubar Das in the 2019 elections.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), also part of the INDIA alliance, has announced six candidates, with leader Tejashwi Yadav expressing confidence in the coalition's unity and electoral strategy. RJD's candidates will focus on constituencies that align with their voter base.