Ranchi: Jharkhand Election 2024 Date – The Election Commission has announced the dates for the Jharkhand Assembly elections. The elections will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20. With this, all parties have accelerated their preparations. Most parties are planning to field their veteran candidates again. Here is a list of 22 prominent leaders who are expected to contest this time:
First Phase
- Koderma: Neera Yadav, who served as Education Minister in the Raghubar government, is the current MLA and has won two consecutive elections.
- Jamshedpur West: Saryu Rai, who was a minister in the Raghubar government, won the last election from Jamshedpur East against Raghubar Das. This time, he may contest from Jamshedpur West on a JD(U) ticket.
- Seraikela: Champai Soren, a veteran leader of JMM, has served as a minister in several governments. After Hemant Soren’s imprisonment, he was made the state’s Chief Minister but later left JMM and joined BJP.
- Jagannathpur: Geeta Koda, wife of former Chief Minister Madhu Koda, has served as an MP. She contested the Lok Sabha election on a BJP ticket but lost. She will now try her luck in the assembly elections.
- Chaibasa: Deepak Birua, who has won several assembly elections from Chaibasa, is currently the Welfare Minister. He is likely to get a JMM ticket again.
- Khunti: Neelkanth Singh Munda, who served as Rural Development Minister in the Raghubar government, has been a minister in almost all BJP governments. He is expected to contest again.
- Hussainabad: Kamlesh Kumar Singh, who was a minister in the Madhu Koda government, won the last assembly election on an NCP ticket. He recently joined BJP.
- Garhwa: Mithilesh Thakur, who was elected as an MLA for the first time, became a minister in the Hemant government. Recently, he was given an additional portfolio of Tourism, Art, Culture, and Sports.
- Bhawanathpur: Bhanu Pratap Shahi, also a minister in the Madhu Koda government, won the last election on a BJP ticket and is expected to run again.
Second Phase
- Barhait: Chief Minister Hemant Soren contested the last assembly election from both Barhait and Dumka and won both seats. This time, he is likely to contest only from Barhait.
- Jamtara: Irfan Ansari has won two consecutive elections from Jamtara. He was recently given a ministerial position with the Rural Development Department.
- Dumka: Basant Soren won the by-election in Dumka after Hemant Soren vacated the seat. He was given a ministerial position under Champai Soren, though he did not get a ministry after Hemant’s return from jail.
- Sarath: Randhir Kumar Singh, Agriculture Minister in the Raghubar government, has won two consecutive elections from Sarath. He won the 2014 election on a JVM ticket and the 2019 election on a BJP ticket.
- Nala: Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato is expected to contest from Nala again. He is considered a senior JMM leader.
- Poreyahat: Pradeep Yadav, who has won multiple elections from this seat, has served as a minister. He won the 2019 election on a JVM ticket and is expected to contest on a Congress ticket this time.
- Dhanwar: BJP state president Babulal Marandi is a key candidate. He contested the last election on a JVM ticket, later merging JVM into BJP.
- Bagodar: Vinod Kumar Singh, who has won several elections from Bagodar, is expected to contest again. This seat is likely to go to the CPI(ML) under the INDIA alliance.
- Gandey: Kalpana Soren, who became active in politics after her husband Hemant Soren was jailed, won the Gandey by-election. She is expected to contest from Gandey again.
- Chandankyari: Leader of the Opposition Amar Bauri is expected to contest from this seat. BJP is likely to retain this seat under the NDA alliance.
- Silli: Former Deputy Chief Minister and AJSU leader Sudesh Mahto has won several elections from this seat. He will be a key candidate again.
- Dumri: Baby Devi, who won the by-election after her husband Jagarnath Mahto’s death, is currently Minister for Women and Child Development.
- Bokaro: Viranchi Narayan, who has won two consecutive elections on a BJP ticket, is expected to get the ticket again.
This is the first time Jharkhand will have assembly elections in just two phases. The previous elections in 2005 were held in three phases, and since then, all assembly elections have been held in five phases.
