With less than 20 days remaining for Jharkhand Assembly elections, BJP releases second list of candidates. Fields Gamaliyal Hembrom against CM Hemant Soren is the sitting MLA from the Barhet (ST) constituency in Sahibganj district. This is followed by the previous list of 66 candidates wherein BJP fielded figures like BJP state president Babulal Marandi (Dhanwar), Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri (Chandankiyari), former Jharkhand CM and former JMM leader (now in BJP) Champai Soren (Seraikela) among others.
CM Hemant Soren previously defeated BJP rival Simon Malto by a margin of 25,740 votes in the 2019 assembly elections. While his current competitor, Gamaliyal Hembrom got 2,573 in Barhet on a AJSU Party ticket in 2019. The other candidate in the list, Vikash Mahto is contesting from Tundi.
BJP’s first list was released on October 19,giving tickets to 66 candidates. Leading the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), BJP has 68 seats, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) has 10, Janata Dal (United) got 2 and 1 seat to Union Minister Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).
Barhet has been the fortress for JMM since 1990s. Hemlal Murmu won here in 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2009 for JMM and Hemant Soren in 2014 and 2019. Discussion between BJP leaders have begun that it has fielded a weak candidate. Hembrom lacks experience, he is been in politics only for 5 years after quitting his teaching career.
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(Input from the agencies)
