RANCHI: Voting for the Ghatshila by-election will take place on Tuesday across 300 polling booths. This time, the contest has turned into a three-way battle, with major parties BJP, JMM, and Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) fielding candidates, alongside several independents and smaller party representatives.
The by-election, held for the Scheduled Tribe-reserved seat, has become a prestige duel between two Sorens, JMM’s Somesh Soren and BJP’s Babulal Soren, reflecting legacy, sentiment, and strategy. BJP has fielded Babulal Soren, son of former Chief Minister Champai Soren, while JMM has nominated Somesh Soren, son of the late MLA and former Education Minister Ramdas Soren. JLKM has reposed faith in Ramdas Murmu, who finished third in the 2024 Assembly poll, securing only 8,092 votes.
The Ghatshila constituency fell vacant earlier this year following the death of State Education Minister Ramdas Soren in Delhi after a prolonged illness. Traditionally a stronghold of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the seat has been won by BJP only once, in 2014.
This by-election has introduced entirely new dynamics, with 13 candidates in the fray, nine of whom are contesting for the first time. Nearly 70% of the candidates are newcomers, making the contest more unpredictable.
To ensure a free and fair poll, over 1,200 polling personnel have been deployed, with 120 kept in reserve. Ten companies of additional police forces are stationed at the 300 polling stations to maintain law and order. Mock polls were conducted at all stations in the presence of political party agents.
A total of 2,55,823 voters are eligible to cast their ballots, including 16,601 first-time voters aged 18–19. The constituency also has 2,738 disabled voters and one registered NRI voter. Senior women voters form a significant portion of the electorate: three women aged 100–109, 129 aged 90–99, 934 aged 80–89, and 4,021 aged 70–79 will be casting their votes. In a nod to women empowerment, five “pink booths” will be operated entirely by female polling personnel.