Fate of Jharkhand Heavyweights to be Decided on May 20
The political fate of eminent leaders in Jharkhand will be sealed on May 20 as the state gears up for polling in three Lok Sabha seats during the fifth phase of the general election.
Hazaribagh: A BJP Stronghold
Hazaribagh, a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 2009, will see a close contest between Manish Jaiswal of the BJP and Jai Prakash Bhai Patel of the Congress. Patel, a former three-term MLA from Mandu, is expected to provide a tough challenge to Jaiswal, who was fielded by the BJP after dropping Union Minister Jayant Sinha.
Koderma: A Prestigious Seat
Koderma is one of the prominent seats in Jharkhand, with Union Minister Annapurna Devi of the BJP facing off against Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) candidate Vinod Singh. The constituency holds significance as it was once represented by former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi.
Chatra: A Caste-Driven Contest
In the Chatra Lok Sabha seat, the contest is primarily between two upper-caste candidates: Kalicharan Singh of the BJP and Krishnandan Tripathi of the Congress. Both candidates come from the Bhumihar and Brahmin castes, respectively, reflecting the caste dynamics prevalent in the region.
Gandey Assembly Bypoll: A Family Affair
Apart from the Lok Sabha seats, the state will also witness the Gandey Assembly bypoll, where Kalpana Murmu Soren, wife of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, is contesting as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate. She faces a direct contest against Dilip Verma of the BJP.
The outcome of these elections will have significant implications for the political landscape of Jharkhand and the national level, as prominent leaders from various parties vie for victory.