RANCHI: JMM candidate Somesh Chandra Soren has won the Ghatshila Assembly by-election, securing 1,04,794 votes and defeating the BJP’s Babulal Soren by a decisive margin of 38,524 votes. The result has infused fresh enthusiasm into the JMM, reaffirming the party’s strength in one of its traditional bastions.
Counting began at 8 a.m. on Friday at Jamshedpur Co-operative College, and Somesh Soren took the lead from the very first round, opening with a margin of 3,246 votes. He maintained his lead throughout all 20 rounds of counting, with the gap widening steadily and triggering jubilant celebrations among JMM supporters.
Party workers waved flags, beat drums, lit crackers, and danced as the numbers continued to favour their candidate. Expressing his gratitude, Somesh Chandra Soren thanked voters for their overwhelming support and pledged to work with dedication for the development of Ghatshila.
Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) candidate Ramdas Murmu finished third, securing 11,542 votes.
The Ghatshila seat fell vacant earlier this year following the death of State Education Minister Ramdas Soren in Delhi after a prolonged illness. A traditional stronghold of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the constituency has been won by the BJP only once, in 2014.
JMM leaders attributed the victory to the steadfast support of party workers and the trust placed in them by voters. “The verdict was clear from day one. The people of Ghatshila have once again shown their trust in Hemant Soren’s leadership,” said JMM leader Kunal Sarangi.
The by-election carried both political and emotional weight for the ruling party, following the demise of former MLA Ramdas Soren, who had reclaimed the seat for the JMM in 2019 and again in 2024 with a margin of over 22,000 votes.