BJP releases second list; names CM Hemant Soren's rival from Barhait

Jharkhand Assembly elections: The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is contesting the polls with the AJSU, Janata Dal (United), and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released its second list of candidates for the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, naming Gamliyel Hembrom from the Barhait seat against Chief Minister Hemant Soren. 

 

Hembrom had secured a little over 2,500 votes in 2019 from this seat when he contested as an AJSU candidate. In contrast, Soren won the seat by a margin of over 25,000 votes. The second and final name on this list featured Vikash Mahto, who will contest the polls from the Tundi constituency. 

 

Jharkhand will go to the polls on November 13 and 20, with the term of its current Assembly ending on January 5. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is contesting the polls with the AJSU, Janata Dal (United), and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). 

 

According to an earlier statement made by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, the allies were to get about 10 seats, while the BJP planned to contest 68 seats in the elections.

 

In its first list, the BJP named 66 candidates, including former CM Champai Soren, who switched from the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) to the BJP in August. Disgruntled with Hemant Soren’s way of conducting affairs, Champai alleged he was asked to resign ‘forcibly’, describing it as ‘bitter humiliation’. Champai had taken over the command when Hemant was taken into custody in a money laundering case in January.  

 

Additionally, the BJP named 11 women candidates in its list, including Geeta Koda, the wife of former CM Madhu Koda. Hemant Soren’s sister-in-law Sita Soren, expelled from the JMM in May, will contest from Jamtara on a BJP ticket. 

 

With less than two weeks to go for the polls, a political slugfest has also erupted between the BJP and the JMM, with the ruling party accusing the Election Commission of favouring the BJP. The JMM has also sought the removal of certain poll officials over these allegations. On this, BJP MP Deepak Prakash stated that the JMM has lost the polls even before contesting and is therefore resorting to a blame game.