The BJP doesn’t want to irk anyone, be it its senior leaders or alliance partners ahead of the big battle in Jharkhand. This became clear when the party released its first list of 66 candidates. Out of 26 BJP MLAs, only four were denied tickets. Sindri MLA Indrajeet Mahto has not been given a ticket as he is severely ill and has been replaced with his wife Tara Devi. Overall, the party doesn’t want to create a situation where an MLA fights as an Independent after denial of a ticket.
The BJP has also been very accommodative of its senior leaders with several senior leaders like Babulal Marandi, Amar Bauri, Geeta Koda and Sita Soren being fielded in the election.
The party has also given tickets to at least one family member of all Jharkhand CMs, including two former CMs contesting. Marandi is contesting from Badhwar and Champai Soren is contesting from Saraikela. Champai Soren has also got a ticket for his son Babulal Soren from Ghatshila.
Former CM Shibu Soren’s daughter-in-law Sita Soren has chosen Jamtara instead of her earlier Jama seat. In 2009, JMM supremo Shibu Soren won this seat. The daughter-in-law of former CM and current Chhattisgarh Governor Raghubar Das, Purnima Das Sahu, has been fielded from Jamshedpur East. BJP wanted former CM Arjun Munda to contest elections, but he put forward his wife’s name. Finally, Meera Munda has been given a ticket from Potka. Dhanbad MP Dhullu Mahto has been successful in getting his earlier Baghmara seat for his elder brother Shatrughan Mahto. The BJP has been generous in seat allotment to its allies also. It gave AJSU 10 seats. In 2009, it gave seven seats to the party. When AJSU leader Sudesh Mahto resisted, it adjusted AJSU MP Chandra Prakash Chaudhary’s brother Roshan Lal Choudhary from Barkagaon assembly seat on the BJP ticket. A discussion is still going on about the Mandu assembly seat, which AJSU is demanding for its candidate. The BJP hasn’t announced a candidate on this seat and an exchange of seats is possible with the AJSU. It gave two seats to JDU and one seat to LJP (Ram Vilas) despite these parties not having any significant vote base in the state just to avoid a division of votes.
In the Barhait seat, currently represented by CM Hemant Soren, the BJP wants to field a strong candidate and has asked former state minister Louis Marandi to contest against Hemant Soren. But she has not confirmed yet and is said to be willing to contest from Dumka.
