Jharkhand Elections: BJP releases first list of 66 candidates, Champai Soren to contest from Saraikella

The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released the first list of 66 candidates for the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly Elections.

The saffron party has fielded former state Chief Minister Champai Soren from Saraikella and state chief Babulal Marandi from Dhanwar. The party named Sita Soren, the sister-in-law of JMM leader and Chief Minister Hemant Soren, as its nominee from Jamtara.

The list also has the names of Geeta Koda and former Union minister Sudarshan Bhagat.


The BJP is contesting on 68 of the 81 assembly seats in the state, leaving the rest for its allies.

Jharkhand Election Dates

The Jharkhand assembly polls will be held in two phases on November 13 and November 20, while the counting of votes will take place on November 23.

A total of 2.60 crore electors, including 11.84 lakh first-time voters and 1.13 lakh persons with disabilities (PwD), third gender and senior citizens over 85 years of age, are likely to exercise their franchise in the upcoming elections.

The date for scrutiny of nominations is October 28, while the last date for the withdrawal of candidatures has been fixed as October 30 for the first phase of elections, the official said.

The 43 constituencies going to polls on November 13 include Kodarma, Barkatha, Barhi, Barkagaon, Hazaribagh, Baharagora, Jamshedpur East, Jamshedpur West, Ichagarh, Ranchi, Hatia, Panki, Daltonganj, Bishrampur, Hussainabad, Garhwa and Bhawanathpur.

The ST constituencies are Ghatsila, Potka, Seraikella, Chaibasa, Majhgaon, Jaganathpur, Manoharpur, Chakradharpur, Kharsawan, Tamar, Torpa, Khunti, Mandar, Sisai, Gumla, Bishunpur, Simdega, Kolebira, Lohardaga and Manika.

In addition, SC constituencies – Simaria, Chatra, Jugsalai, Kanke, Latehar and Chhatarpur – are also scheduled to go to polls on November 13.

What happened in the 2019 election

In 2019, the JMM-led alliance won 47 seats in the Jharkhand assembly, including 30 of JMM and 16 of the Congress. The BJP had secured 25 seats, JVM-P 3, AJSU Party 2, CPI-ML 1, NCP- 1 and independents 2.

Currently, the strength of the assembly stands at 74, with the JMM-led ruling alliance having 44 members.

Two JMM legislators, Nalin Soren and Joba Majhi, are now members of Parliament, while Jama legislator Sita Soren resigned to contest the Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket.

Two JMM legislators, Nalin Soren and Joba Majhi, are now members of Parliament, while Jama legislator Sita Soren resigned to contest the Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket.

Similarly, the BJP's strength has decreased to 23, with two of its MLAs—Dhulu Mahto (Baghmara) and Manish Jaiswal (Hazaribag)—now serving as MPs.

Mandu MLA Jaiprakash Bhai Patel, who joined Congress before the Lok Sabha elections, was also disqualified under the anti-defection law.