Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren with his wife Kalpana Soren, Congress’ Jharkhand in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir and others flashes victory sign during a press conference as JMM-led INDIA bloc secures victory in the Jharkhand Assembly elections, in Ranchi, on November 23, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Hemant Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led alliance is all set to retain Jharkhand’s 81-member State Assembly, data from the Election Commission of India showed on Saturday (November 23, 2024). The same leadership is returning to power consecutively for the first time in Jharkhand’s history. This is also the JMM’s best electoral performance in the State.
Out of 81 Assembly seats, the JMM-led INDIA bloc won 56 seats. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured only 24 seats, which is less than its tally in the previous Assembly election. The JMM has won 34 seats, the Congress won 16 seats, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) won four seats, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation has won two seats.
Jharkhand election results 2024: LIVE coverage
In the Opposition NDA, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won 21 seats, and one seat each was won by its alliance partners, the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and the Janata Dal-United (JD-U).
Mr. Soren won the Barhait Assembly segment by defeating the BJP’s Gamilyel Hembrom. His wife, Kalpana Soren, won the Gandey seat by defeating the BJP’s Muniya Devi. Other prominent faces who won include Nishat Alam, wife of jailed Congress leader Alamgir Alam, from Pakur; Mr. Soren’s younger brother Basant Soren, from Dumka; BJP State president Babulal Marandi, from Dhanwar; Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto, from Nala; Champai Soren, from Saraikela; and Babulal Marandi, from Dhanwar.
Rhetoric on ‘infiltration by Bangladeshis’, corruption, and demographic changes in the Santal Pargana appear to have backfired for the BJP, with none of these issues bringing it favour.
The result is a humiliating defeat for the BJP as its top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who campaigned in the tribal-dominated State. Six Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled States campaigned for the NDA’s candidates, as did Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president J.P. Nadda.
Mr. Soren’s impactful Maiya Samman Yojana, a cash transfer scheme of ₹1,000 per month, four instalments of which were provided before the election, drew women voters to the INDIA bloc.
Before the Jharkhand election, Mr. Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case, forcing him to resign. Champai Soren became the Chief Minister in his stead.
The JMM alleged its tribal CM was being harassed and continued playing the ‘victim card’. When he was released from jail, Mr. Hemant Soren showed the jail stamp on his hand. Mr. Soren’s arrest and imprisonment also appear to have led to a fall in the anti-incumbency sentiment amongst voters.
Tribals and Muslims, considered the JMM’s biggest vote banks, supported the INDIA bloc, leading to the JMM’s highest vote share of nearly 24%.
The BJP’s slogan of “Batenge to katenge” (divided, we will be destroyed) and “Ek hai to safe hai” (united, we are safe) also backfired.
Throughout the election campaign, the BJP focused on “Bangladeshi infiltration” and alleged land-grabbing after marriage to tribal girls. On the other hand, the JMM constantly maintained the BJP was dividing people on the lines of religion.
When JMM founder Shibu Soren’s daughter-in-law Sita Soren, and Mr. Champai Soren, joined the BJP, the party’s own cadre were unhappy. The move cost the BJP dearly. Tribal voters perceived it as an effort to break up Mr. Hemant Soren’s party.
Following Mr. Soren’s arrest, his wife Ms. Kalpana Soren became very active in the party, meeting party functionaries and holding meetings.
Ms. Soren won the Gandey bypoll, and became a star campaigner for the JMM within five months, holding over 100 rallies, and focusing on and meeting women voters continuously, which benefited the JMM.
This election proved to be a big setback for the AJSU, which contested 10 seats but lost nine, with even its president Sudhesh Mahto losing from Silli against the JMM’s Amit Kumar.
A new political party, the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM), led by Jairam Tiger Mahto, not only played the role of a spoilsport for the AJSU, it’s set to make its debut in the Jharkhand Assembly. Young Mr. Jairam Mahto won the Dumri seat by defeating the JMM’s Baby Devi.
Prominent faces who lost the election include the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Amar Kumar Bauri, from Chandankiyari; Mr. Champai Soren’s son Babulal Soren, from Ghatsila; and Ms. Sita Soren, from Jamtara.
The wives of two former Chief Ministers — Geetha Koda (wife of Madhu Koda), and Meera Munda (wife of Arjun Munda) — lost from Jaganathpur and Potka, respectively.
Published – November 23, 2024 11:23 pm IST