Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024: The INDIA bloc has finalized its seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, which will see a collaborative effort by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and Left parties.
Under this arrangement, the Hemant Soren-led JMM will contest 43 seats, the Congress 30, RJD six, and the Left parties three. There will also be “friendly contests” between alliance candidates in three constituencies: Dhanwar, Chatrapur, and Vishrampur.
Details of the Seat-Sharing Arrangement
As per the agreement, JMM general secretary Vinod Pandey announced that the bloc has largely settled the seat-sharing for all constituencies, aside from the three friendly contest seats. In the key Dhanwar seat, the BJP has fielded senior leader and former MP Babulal Marandi, making it a focal point of competition.
While the INDIA bloc has not yet made an official declaration of the seat-sharing arrangement, JMM has already released its initial candidate list. Chief Minister Hemant Soren will run from the Barhet Assembly seat, while his wife, Kalpana Murmu Soren, is contesting from the Gandey constituency.
Election Schedule and Key Dates
The Jharkhand Assembly election for its 82 seats will take place in two phases, with voting on November 13 and November 20, followed by counting on November 23. The INDIA bloc aims to leverage this unified front against the BJP, solidifying the JMM-Congress partnership for the majority of the 81 seats in the assembly.
Ahead of the elections, Chief Minister Hemant Soren reiterated his call for the central government to clear Jharkhand’s coal dues amounting to Rs 1.36 lakh crore. Soren emphasized that this amount is critical for the state and urged BJP MPs to advocate for the funds. This appeal coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s scheduled visit to Jharkhand, heightening its political significance as election season intensifies.
