ECI announces Ghatshila bypoll schedule, voting on November 11

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the schedule for the Ghatshila Assembly by-election in Jharkhand. The polling will take place on November 11, along with the Bihar Assembly elections.

According to the Election Commission, the notification for the bypoll will be issued on October 13. Candidates can file their nominations till October 21. Scrutiny will be held on October 22, and October 24 is the last date for withdrawal of candidature. Counting of votes will follow soon after the polling.

Advertisement

The by-election has stirred political activity in the tribal belt of the state. The Ghatshila seat, reserved for Scheduled Tribes, fell vacant after the death of former minister and JMM legislator Ramdas Soren. For the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the seat carries both emotional and political significance, while the Bharatiya Janata Party sees it as an opportunity to revive its position in tribal politics.

Within the JMM, the name of Somesh Soren, son of the late Ramdas Soren, is being discussed as the likely candidate. In the BJP, Babulal Soren, son of former chief minister Champai Soren, is seen as the front-runner. The contest holds wider political meaning for both parties. In the 2024 Assembly elections, the INDIA bloc led by the JMM and Congress had won 27 out of 28 Scheduled Tribe seats. The JMM secured 20 while Congress won seven. The BJP, once a major force in Jharkhand’s tribal areas, was reduced to only one ST seat, held by Champai Soren in Seraikela before his switch from the JMM.

The Ghatshila bypoll is therefore being viewed as a crucial test for the BJP to regain ground among tribal voters, while for the JMM it is a fight to retain a seat linked to the legacy of one of its prominent leaders. Party sources say the BJP is also considering other names. Lakhan Mardi, state vice-president of the BJP ST Morcha, and Ramesh Hansda, a central executive member, are said to be in the running.

There is also speculation about Jayashree Soren, daughter of Sita Soren, who is the late Shibu Soren’s elder daughter-in-law and recently joined the BJP. Her possible candidature has added another layer of political curiosity to the contest.