Jharkhand polls: BJP releases 2nd list, fields Gamliyel Hembrom from Barhait against Hemant Soren

Hembrom had contested from Barhait in the 2019 assembly elections on an AJSU Party ticket and polled 2,573 votes, occupying the fourth position.

BJP also announced the candidature of Vikash Mahto from the Tundi seat.

Hemant Soren is the sitting MLA of the Barhait (ST) constituency in the Sahibganj district. He had won the seat, considered a JMM bastion, by a margin of 25,740 votes over his nearest rival Simon Malto of the BJP in 2019.

Soren won both Dumka and Barahit in the December 2019 assembly elections and chose to retain the latter.

The BJP released its first list of 66 candidates for the assembly elections on October 19. The party is contesting 68 of the 81 assembly seats in the state, leaving the rest for its allies.

The JMM has announced candidates for 43 of the 81 seats. Of the 43 seats the JMM had contested in the 2019 elections, it won 30 and came second in five constituencies.

Elections to the 81-member House will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20. Counting is scheduled for November 23.

INDIA bloc partners will contest the upcoming assembly polls together, with the Congress and JMM competing for 70 of the 81 seats, while the remaining 11 will be contested by the RJD and Left parties.

In the opposition camp, the BJP will contest 68 seats, the AJSU Party 10, the JD(U) two, and the LJP (Ram Vilas) one.

In 2019, the JMM-led alliance won 47 seats, wresting power from the BJP. The saffron party had secured 25 seats, JVM-P three, AJSU Party two, and the CPI (ML) and NCP one each, besides two Independents emerging victorious.

Altogether 2.60 crore electors, including 11.84 lakh first-time voters and 1.13 lakh persons with disabilities (PwD), third gender and senior citizens over 85 years of age, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the upcoming elections.