BJP state president and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi intensified his campaign for the Ghatsila by-election on Saturday, launching a sharp attack on the Hemant Soren government. Addressing a workers’ rally at Dampaara Haat, Marandi described the ruling alliance as a “government of middlemen, brokers, and corrupt officials” and accused it of failing the state over the past six years.
Marandi alleged rampant corruption in sand, mineral, iron, and coal sectors under the chief minister’s protection, while essential services such as hospitals, schools, pensions, and housing schemes remain inaccessible to the poor. He also raised concerns over alleged settlement of Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants in the region, claiming the government was altering the local demographic balance.
“The youth are unemployed, exams are cancelled, and welfare schemes are blocked,” Marandi said, emphasizing that the by-election offers voters an opportunity to send a message to the state government. He called upon party workers to ensure victory for NDA candidate Babu Lal Soren, adding that public sentiment is firmly behind the BJP.
The political contest has drawn 13 candidates, including independents Parmeshwar Tudu, Shrilal Kisku, Narayan Singh, Vikas Hembram, Basant Kumar Topno, Manoj Kumar Singh, and Ramkrishna Kanti Mahli, as well as party nominees from JMM, BAP, PPI(D), and JLK(M). One independent, Vikram Kisku, withdrew his nomination on the final day. The bypoll is scheduled for November 11, with results on November 14.
Alongside campaign developments, the Election Commission has been intensifying preparations to ensure free and fair polling. Chief Electoral Officer K. Ravi Kumar instructed district officers to conduct mock voting drills with at least 100 votes per presiding officer, verify VVPAT slips, and submit reports for transparency. Officers were also directed to meticulously map the 2003 voter lists to the current rolls under the State Intensive Revision (SIR) program, requiring voters to submit valid documents proving their and their parents’ eligibility.
“This exercise ensures that all voters are accurately registered, and documents are permanently recorded both digitally and physically,” Ravi Kumar said during a video conference with district officers. Helplines and mapping desks are being set up to assist voters with verification.
The Ghatsila by-election is increasingly being seen as both a test of governance and a symbolic referendum on the Hemant government’s performance. Analysts note that the BJP is leveraging issues of corruption, unemployment, and demographic concerns, while the ruling JMM seeks to retain tribal and rural support amid a crowded field.
As campaigning enters the final stretch, all eyes are on voter turnout, party mobilization, and the Election Commission’s preparations to conduct a transparent poll in the strategically significant Ghatsila constituency.