The political landscape of Jharkhand’s Ghatsila Assembly constituency is buzzing as a by-election approaches next month, promising an exciting three-way contest. The Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM), led by MLA Jairam Kumar Mahato, has officially announced its candidate, setting the stage for a fierce battle against nominees from both the BJP and the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
The JLKM has placed its confidence in Ramdas Murmu, who previously secured a third-place finish in the 2024 Assembly elections for the same seat, garnering 8,092 votes. He is now poised to once again represent the party.
Meanwhile, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has put forward Babulal Soren, son of former Chief Minister Champai Soren. The JMM, on the other hand, is backing Somesh Soren, whose father, the late Ramdas Soren, was a respected minister.
This crucial by-election, scheduled for November 11, became necessary after the unfortunate passing of the sitting MLA and Jharkhand Education Minister, Ramdas Soren, in August.
Ramdas Murmu informed PTI that his nomination papers are slated to be filed on October 21. This significant event will take place with the strong backing of JLKM’s founder and president, Jairam Kumar Mahato, widely known as ‘Tiger Mahato’.
In the 2024 Assembly elections, the JLKM garnered attention for acting as a ‘spoilsport,’ impacting the fortunes of major national alliances, including the NDA, across several key constituencies such as Bokaro, Ramgarh, Gomia, Dhanbad, and Giridih.
Via a post on social media platform X, Mr. Mahato confirmed that the JLKM’s central parliamentary board and election committee have officially endorsed Ramdas Murmu as their chosen candidate for the Ghatsila by-election.
In a subtle critique aimed at his rivals from the JMM and BJP, Mr. Murmu expressed his disappointment, suggesting it was ‘unfortunate’ that candidates from outside the region were contesting the Ghatsila seat.
He pointed out that Babulal Soren, the NDA candidate, hails from the Seraikela-Kharswan district, and Somesh Soren of the JMM is from Jamshedpur, located within the East Singhbhum district but not Ghatsila itself.
As a proud native of the Ghatsila sub-division, Mr. Murmu emphasized that the constituency truly ‘needs a local person,’ someone who can genuinely understand the community’s needs and is committed to solving their challenges.
Highlighting his local roots and qualifications, Mr. Murmu, who holds a postgraduate degree in Physics and a B.Ed, shared that he runs a coaching center right there in Ghatsila.