In preparation for the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have officially revealed their candidates.
These announcements mark the beginning of an intense political contest for 81 assembly seats in the state. Voting is scheduled for two phases, on 13 November and 20 November.
Key Takeaways
The JMM, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, released a comprehensive list of 35 candidates.
Soren himself will contest from his traditional seat, Barhait, while his wife, Kalpana Soren, will make her electoral debut from Gandey. Meanwhile, Basant Soren, Hemant’s younger brother, will run from Dumka.
These selections solidify the Soren family’s stronghold in key constituencies.
Other prominent candidates on JMM’s roster include Ravindranath Mahto (Nala), M.T. Raja (Rajmahal), Stephen Marandi (Maheshpur), and Hafizul Hasan (Madhupur).
Veteran politicians like Mithilesh Thakur (Garhwa) and Bhushan Tirkey (Gumla) also feature in the list, ensuring a mix of both experienced leaders and new faces.
In a parallel development, the Congress has also released its slate of 21 candidates. Key names include Irfan Ansari (Jamtara), Badal Patralekh (Jarmundi), and Deepika Pandey Singh (Mahagama).
The party aims to strengthen its position in the state, which remains critical to its national strategy.
Former IPS officer Ajoy Kumar is likely to contest from the high-profile Jamshedpur East seat, while Banna Gupta will run from Jamshedpur West.
The Congress list also showcases several new entrants, including women leaders like Shilpi Neha Tirkey (Mandar) and Purnima Niraj Singh (Jharia), signaling the party’s focus on promoting gender diversity.
The RJD, contesting in a limited number of constituencies, has announced six candidates. Suresh Paswan (Deoghar), Sanjay Prasad Yadav (Godda), and Subhash Yadav (Koderma) will represent the party, aiming to carve out a share in the electoral battle.
As all eyes turn towards the polls, the elections are likely to be fiercely contested, with key issues such as employment, tribal rights, and land reforms dominating the campaign discourse.
The counting of votes will take place on 23 November, determining the future political landscape of Jharkhand.
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