Jharkhand bypoll: Ghatsila to witness three-cornered contest with JLKM fielding candidate

Jamshedpur, Oct 19 (PTI) The Ghatsila assembly constituency in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district will witness a three-cornered contest in the bypoll next month as MLA Jairam Kumar Mahato-led JLKM announced its candidate for the constituency, while the BJP and the ruling JMM fielded their nominees. Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) reposed faith in Ramdas Murmu, who had finished third in the 2024 assembly poll from the seat, bagging only 8092 votes, as its candidate.

The BJP-led NDA nominated Babulal Soren, the son of former chief minister Champai Soren, while Somesh Soren, son of late minister Ramdas Soren, is in the fray as a JMM candidate.

The November 11 bypoll to the Ghatsila seat was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA and Jharkhand Education Minister Ramdas Soren in August.

Murmu told PTI that he would file the nomination papers on October 21 in the presence of party founder president Jairam Kumar Mahato, who is popularly known as Tiger Mahato.

The JLKM was said to have played a spoilsport for national alliances, including the NDA in several seats, particularly in Bokaro, Ramgarh, Gomia, Dhanbad and Giridih belt of the state, in the 2024 assembly polls.

On the social media platform X, Mahato stated that the central parliamentary board and the central election committee of JLKM have approved the name of Murmu for the Ghatsila bypoll.

In an indirect reference to the JMM and the BJP nominees, Murmu said it was unfortunate that outsiders are in the fray in the Ghatsila seat.

While NDA candidate Babulal Soren was from Seraikela-Kharswan district, JMM's Somesh Soren comes from Jamshedpur in East Singhbhum district.

Murmu, a native of the Ghatsila sub-division, said the assembly constituency "needs a local person, who can only feel the pulses of people and has the intention to resolve their problems".

Murmu, who did his post-graduate in Physics and also holds a B.Ed degree, said he was running a coaching centre in Ghatsila. PTI BS BDC