THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, Oct. 19: The BJP, which has got 68 out of 81 seats under a seat-sharing pact with its partners, to contest the ensuing assembly elections in Jharkhand, has put on hold its candidate in the Barhait constituency opposite Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
The party, which declared 66 candidates, has also not named its candidate for the Tundi constituency, a seat being eyed by AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto.
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According to sources, the party leadership wanted Lois Marandi to give a challenge to Hemant Soren. However, she was reluctant to contest against Hemant Soren, sensing her defeat. Instead, she wanted to contest from the Dumka constituency, where the BJP gave a ticket to Sunil Soren.
Notably, Sunil Soren had been given the ticket to contest the last Lok Sabha elections. However, the BJP withdrew him from the Lok Sabha poll ring, after Sita Soren joined the saffron brigade.
Notably, Hemant Soren had emerged as the winner from both the Dumka and Barhait constituencies in the 2019 assembly elections.
Soren won by a margin of 13,188 votes from the Dumka seat and from the Barhait assembly constituency by a margin of 25,740 votes. He had beaten BJP’s Simon Malto from the Barhait seat while on the Dumka seat, he defeated BJP candidate Lois Marandi.
