News Jharkhand JMM releases first list of 35 candidates, CM Hemant Soren to contest from Barhait, wife Kalpana from Gandey

JMM releases first list of 35 candidates, CM Hemant Soren to contest from Barhait, wife Kalpana from Gandey

Jharkhand will vote in two phases on November 13 and 20. The counting of votes will take place on November 23. In coalition with Congress, the ruling JMM is hopeful of retaining power in the state.

Jharkhand elections 2024 Image Source : X/HEMANTSORENJMMJharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren with his wife Kalpana Soren

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) released it first list of 35 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections 2024. The ruling party fielded Chief Minister Hemant Soren from the Barhait Assembly constituency while his wife Kalpana Soren from the Gandey seat.

Hemant Soren is the sitting MLA from Barhait (ST) constituency in Sahibganj district. He won the seat by 25,740 votes over his nearest BJP rival Simon Malto in the 2019 assembly elections.

His wife Kalpana Soren had won the Gandey bypoll by 27,149 votes over her nearest BJP rival Dilip Kumar Verma. The seat had fallen vacant following the resignation of JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad.

The candidate list includes MT Raja from Rajmahal seat, Dhananjay Soren from Boriyo, Basant Soren from Dumka, Baidhnath Ram from Latehar, Kedar Hazra from Jamua seat, Hafizul Hasan from Madhupur and Bebi Devi from Damuri.

Most ministers in the Soren government, including Dipak Birua (Chaibasa -ST), Ramdas Soren (Ghatsila- ST), Hafizul Hassan (Madhupur), Bebi Devi (Damuri) and Baidhnath Ram (Latehar) were named from their respective seats in the Jharkhand Assembly elections 2024.

4 JMM leaders including minister file nominations

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Minister Mithilesh Kumar Thakur and three others filed their nomination papers as JMM nominees on Monday, ahead of the party's official candidate announcements.

While Thakur will contest from Garhwa, Sanjib Sardar filed his papers from Potka, Mangal Kalindi from Jugsalai and Anant Pratap Deo from Bhawanathpur. However, hours later, the JMM included them in the candidate list.
 
The assembly elections for the 81 seats will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, with counting set for November 23.
 
Chief Minister Soren had on Saturday said INDIA bloc will contest the elections together, with Congress and JMM aiming to field candidates in 70 of the 81 seats. 

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Jharkhand, K Ravi Kumar said that a total of 21 candidates filed their nomination papers on Monday for the first phase of the assembly elections.

The nomination process for the first phase started on October and altogether 25 candidates filed their nominations till date. The last date of filing nomination is October 25, while candidates can withdraw their names by October 30.

Also read: Maharashtra polls: Shiv Sena releases first list of 45 candidates, CM Shinde to contest from THIS seat