JMM fields Hemant Soren, wife Kalpana, and brother Basant for Jharkhand Assembly polls; BJP slams dynasty politics

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Wednesday announced its first list of 35 candidates for the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections. Among the key contenders are Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who will be contesting from Barhait, his wife Kalpana Soren from Gandey, and his brother Basant Soren from Dumka. This list sets the stage for a competitive election season as the party seeks to retain its hold on key constituencies.

Hemant Soren has been the sitting MLA from Barhait, a seat he secured in the 2019 elections by defeating BJP's Simon Marandi by 25,740 votes. His wife Kalpana Soren entered politics through a by-election in Gandey, where she defeated BJP’s Dilip Kumar Verma by a margin of 27,149 votes. Basant Soren also plays a critical role, representing the Dumka constituency, where he emerged victorious by 6,842 votes against former BJP minister Louis Marandi in the previous election.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has voiced concerns about the family-centric candidate selection by the JMM. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, co-in-charge of the BJP’s campaign in Jharkhand, highlighted what he called "dynastic politics" within JMM’s ranks. Sarma pointed to the party’s reliance on the Soren family, suggesting a lack of diversity in the candidate lineup. The BJP has made this a focal point of its campaign as it prepares for a strong contest against the JMM.

Sarma's comments come amid a broader political contest between the JMM and BJP. He hinted that if JMM requires more candidates, BJP could "provide additional candidates," referencing leaders who switched from the BJP to the JMM recently. As the election campaign intensifies, both parties are gearing up for a major battle for control of Jharkhand’s 81-member assembly.

Voting will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, with the results scheduled for November 23. The nomination process for the 43 seats to be contested in the first phase is already underway and will continue until October 25. The elections will see 2.60 crore eligible voters, including 11.84 lakh first-time voters, persons with disabilities, third-gender voters, and senior citizens above 85 years, cast their ballots. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders are expected to join the campaign trail in Jharkhand after November 3.