Strong wave in favour of BJP candidate in Ghatshila bypoll, claims Babulal Marandi

Ghatshila (Jharkhand), Nov 6 (PTI) Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi on Thursday claimed that there was a "strong wave" in favour of BJP and NDA candidate Babulal Soren in the Ghatshila byelection.

Addressing reporters at Ghatshila, Marandi said that BJP leaders have got in touch with voters in each of the booths and panchayats in the last few weeks and also held 'sammelan' (meetings) in each panchayat.

"I have personally attended several panchayat sammelans, and going by the sentiments, there is a strong wave in favour of the BJP and the NDA candidate, and he would win the bypoll by a huge margin," said the Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly.

In the 2024 assembly election, Babulal Soren lost to JMM's Ramdas Soren by over 22,000 votes. Soren died while undergoing treatment for a brain haemorrhage at a hospital in Delhi on August 15, necessitating the bypoll scheduled on November 11.

Ramdas Soren's son Somesh Chandra Soren is the JMM candidate supported by the ruling alliance for the Ghatshila bypoll.

Marandi accused the Hemant Soren-led government of indulging in corruption and encouraging illegal settlement of "Bangladeshi infiltrators" across the state, including Ghatshila.

"Sand mining rights, which once benefited gram sabhas and local youth, have been handed over to large contractor groups. Even liquor shop allocations and other mineral-linked activities are being controlled by external networks, resulting in unemployment and the migration of local youth in search of work," alleged Marandi.

He also alleged that mafias indulging in corruption and loot of minerals are given patronage by the chief minister himself.

"The mafias even dare to ask district administration officials not to interfere in their work or they will get in touch with the chief minister's office," alleged Marandi.

Marandi claimed that there has been a significant increase in Muslim population in terms of voters between 2019 and 2024 as compared to other communities and alleged that "illegal settlers from Bangladesh" were responsible for this increase.

"These settlements are being given patronage by the Hemant Soren government, and if this is not controlled, then it will be a threat for demography and democracy," alleged Marandi. PTI ANB RG