Jharkhand’s final polling phase on November 20 is crucial, with intense competition between BJP and JMM.
New Delhi: With only three days remaining until the final phase of polling in Jharkhand, both the BJP and JMM have one last chance to sway voters in this decisive round on November 20. This phase is crucial for impacting the remaining Assembly seats and poses a key test for several prominent leaders, including Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Sudesh Mahato, Basant Soren, Sunil Soren, and Kalpana Soren. Campaigning in Jharkhand, often called the “coal state”, is gaining momentum as parties from both the NDA and I.N.D.I.A blocs actively engage with voters across the state to rally support. Senior BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently held a rally in Dhanbad, and leaders from the RJD, AJSU, and left parties are also planning rallies throughout Jharkhand, further intensifying the pre-election atmosphere.
The Jharkhand election is being conducted in two phases, with the first phase completed on November 13 across 43 Assembly constituencies. The second phase, covering 38 Assembly seats, is set for November 20. A total of 532 candidates are contesting in this phase, which includes key constituencies such as Dhanbad, Silli, Pakur, Dumka, and Jamtara, Godda, Ramgarh, Mandu, Dhanwar, Giridih, Dumri, Bokaro, and Bermo.
Jharkhand has 81 Assembly constituencies across 24 districts, with 44 general seats, 28 reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST), and nine for Scheduled Castes (SC). The state has a total of 2.59 crore registered voters, including 1.31 crore men and 1.28 crore women. Among them are over 11.05 lakh first-time voters (aged 18-19), 1.14 lakh senior citizens aged 85 and above, and 3.64 lakh voters with disabilities (PwD). Additionally, more than 900 centenarians, including 533 women, were eligible to vote in the first phase on November 13. In the days leading up to the second phase of polling, Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared that if BJP wins the Assembly elections, it will “eliminate Naxalism and infiltration” in the state.
Shah criticised the Hemant Soren-led government, saying, “Instead of focusing on Jharkhand’s development, the Hemant Soren-led government prioritises protecting and accommodating infiltrators.”
He further stated, “These infiltrators come to Jharkhand, marry our innocent daughters multiple times, and seize their land. Elect a BJP government, and no infiltrator—not even a bird—will have the freedom to stay. The Hemant Soren-led government’s time is up, and so is that of the infiltrators. We will enforce laws requiring them to return all the land they’ve taken.”
Similarly, BJP leader Anurag Thakur accused the JMM-led alliance of promoting “love jihad” and “land jihad” over the past five years, claiming that the state’s demographic balance is changing. Speaking to the media at the BJP office in Ranchi, Thakur alleged that instead of focusing on public welfare, the state government was advancing “jihad welfare.”
In response, Chief Minister Hemant Soren accused BJP of attempting to divide Jharkhand but asserted that these efforts would not succeed. He said that the people would stand against such attempts in the election.
“BJP leaders are camping in Jharkhand but say nothing about development, progress, or peace. They are focused on dividing people based on religion,” Soren posted on his social media account, X (formerly Twitter).
Additionally, he accused BJP of trying to carve out the Santhal Parganas from Jharkhand, stating that the people would deliver a strong response to these efforts.
In the second phase, Hemant Soren will face BJP’s Gamliyel Hembrom in Barhait, a JMM stronghold. In 2019, Hembrom, contesting as an AJSU candidate, received just over 2,500 votes from this seat, while Soren won with a margin of more than 25,000 votes.
Another key seat to watch in the second phase is Dumka, where BJP has fielded Sunil Soren against JMM’s Basant Soren. Dhanwar is also prominent, with the BJP State President Babulal Marandi competing against JMM’s Nizamuddin Ansari. Hemant Soren’s wife, JMM candidate Kalpana Soren, will be contesting the Gandey seat against BJP’s Muniya Devi.
JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said that it is futile for JMM to target local BJP leaders, as BJP’s campaign in Jharkhand is now being driven by its central leadership and leaders from other states, such as Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Yogi Adityanath, and Anurag Thakur. According to Bhattacharya, this has reduced the role of local BJP leaders in the state. He added that JMM is contesting the elections based on its own merit and the developmental work accomplished during its previous tenure. Bhattacharya also claimed that the people of Jharkhand are aware of the BJP’s divisive politics based on caste and religion and will not fall for it. Expressing confidence, he stated that JMM performed well in the first phase and expects to replicate that success in the second phase, as the people of Jharkhand trust Hemant Soren’s leadership.
Binay Singh, a leader from Jharkhand BJP, said that the party is deeply committed to the tribal community in the state and respects their sentiments. He highlighted this by citing the renaming of Sarai Kale Khan ISBT to Birsa Munda ISBT as an example of their dedication. Singh accused the Hemant Soren-led JMM government of incompetence and allowing infiltration during its tenure, contrasting it with BJP’s efforts to ensure justice for tribals. He affirmed that BJP has consistently worked in favour of the tribal community and will continue to do so. Singh expressed confidence in the party’s performance, stating that BJP did well in the first phase of the elections and is optimistic about securing 20-25 seats in the final phase.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance secured 47 seats, while BJP’s tally dropped from 37 seats in 2014 to 25.