Seraikela-Kharsawan: BJP leader and former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren being greeted by supporters upon his arrival in Seraikela-Kharsawan district. (IMAGE: PTI)
The BJP’s Central Election Committee (CEC) on Saturday evening released the first list of candidates and gave former chief minister and former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Champai Soren nomination from Seraikela.
The BJP’s Central Election Committee (CEC) on Saturday evening released the first list of candidates and gave former chief minister and former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Champai Soren nomination from Seraikela.
Soren has been winning in Seraikela since 1991 and will contest against his former party and its coalition partner, Congress, in the upcoming elections. Meanwhile, Jharkhand unit president Babulal Marandi will contest from Dhanwar. The party did not declare who will contest against Hemant Soren, who on Saturday announced that the INDIA bloc partners will contest the upcoming state assembly elections together.
The BJP is contesting 68 of the 81 assembly seats in the state, leaving the rest for its allies.
The Election Commission Tuesday announced Jharkhand will go to polls in two phases on November 13 and 20 and the counting of votes will be held on November 23.
Champai Soren, who fell out with JMM and Hemant Soren, said he is ready to take on any responsibility the BJP gives him.
“The decision taken by the party is a good decision. In the coming elections, BJP’s performance will be the best and our government will be formed. We are fully prepared. Whatever work the BJP gives me, I will do that,” Soren said. He joined the BJP on August 30, two days after he resigned from the JMM citing “insult” and dissatisfaction with the party’s current style of functioning and facing “bitter humiliation”.
He was appointed chief minister on February 2, following Hemant Soren’s resignation and subsequent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case and left the post on July 3, clearing the way for Hemant Soren to resume office on July 4 after being granted bail.
Jama lawmaker Sita Soren, formerly of the JMM, will be competing from Jamtara assembly constituency while Suresh Murmu will be competing from Jama, where she has won since 2019.
Soren is the daughter-in-law of JMM chief Shibu Soren.
Former Lok Sabha MP from Jama, Sunil Soren, will contest from Dumka. Former Jharkhand chief minister and BJP leader Arjun Munda’s spouse Meera Munda will be contesting from the reserved ST constituency of Potka.
