Khunti Lok Sabha Election 2024: The BJP has once again nominated Arjun Munda, the sitting MP and the incumbent Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, to contest from the Khunti parliamentary constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. This decision underscores the party's confidence in Munda's capabilities and his past performance. This choice sets the stage for a rematch between Munda and Congress leader Kalicharan Munda, reminiscent of the closely contested battle witnessed in the 2019 elections. In that electoral face-off, Arjun Munda secured victory by a narrow margin of just 1400 votes against his Congress rival, highlighting the intense competition and the significance of every vote in the region. As the political landscape continues to evolve, both candidates are preparing for another fiercely contested electoral showdown, striving to earn the trust and support of the people.
Who is Arjun Munda?
Arjun Munda stands out as a prominent tribal figure not only in his home state of Jharkhand but also in the neighbouring states of Bihar, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh. With a political journey marked by both triumphs and setbacks, he has served as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand three times. Beyond politics, Munda is known for his passions outside the political arena. An avid golfer and a skilled flutist, he finds solace in art and painting during his leisure time.
He assumed the role of Chief Minister in March 2003, replacing Babulal Marandi amid dissent within the ruling alliance. Prior to his ascension as Chief Minister, Munda had served as the Tribal Affairs Minister in the first NDA government led by Marandi.
In addition to his state-level leadership, Munda has also made significant contributions at the national level, serving as a MP from Jamshedpur after winning a by-election. He has held key positions within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including that of National General Secretary.
Munda's political journey began with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) during the statehood movement, before eventually aligning himself with the BJP. His electoral career commenced in 1995 when he was elected as an MLA from Kharsawan in undivided Bihar. Over the years, he secured three consecutive terms representing the constituency before facing electoral defeat in 2014.
What happened in 2019 and 2014 elections?
In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Arjun Munda from BJP won the seat with a margin of 1,445 votes. Arjun Munda was polled 382,638 votes with a vote share of 46.00 % and defeated Kalicharan Munda from Congress who got 381,193 votes (45.77 %).
In the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, Karia Munda from BJP won the seat and was polled 269,185 votes with a vote share of 36.49%. JKP candidate Anosh Ekka got 176,937 votes (23.99 %) and was the runner-up. Karia Munda defeated Anosh Ekka by a margin of 92,248 votes.
Khunti Lok Sabha constituency
Khunti is one of the Lok Sabha constituencies in Jharkhand. The state has 14 parliamentary seats. The Khunti seat comprises 6 Assembly segments including Kharasawan, Tamar, Torpa, Khunti, Simdega, and Kolebira. The constituency is a Scheduled Tribes seat. The BJP and the Congress are the main parties in the constituency.
The Khunti parliamentary seat, reserved for the tribal community, holds significant electoral importance with over 60% of its voters belonging to various tribal communities, including the Munda Missionaries and the Uraon. Historically, the seat was initially dominated by the Congress party, with Jaipal Singh winning three consecutive elections (1952, 1957, and 1962) on a Congress ticket. In 1971, Niral Enam Horo from the Jharkhand Party secured victory, followed by Kariya Munda's win in 1977, marking the Jharkhand Party's debut on the seat.
Subsequently, the BJP gained prominence, with Karia Munda winning the seat five times consecutively from 1989 to 1999. However, in 2004, Sushila Kerketta of the Congress emerged victorious. Karia Munda reclaimed the seat in 2009 and 2014 under the BJP banner.
