BJP releases list of 66 Jharkhand candidates, fields Babulal Marandi from Dhanwar, Champai Soren from Saraikela

New Delhi:  The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday released a list of 66 candidates for the Jharkhand Assembly elections to be held in two phases – November 13 and November 20.

BJP state President Babulal Marandi has been fielded from Dhanwar constituency, while former Jharkhand CM and former JMM leader Champai Soren has been made the candidate from Saraikela.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had announced its seat-sharing arrangement for the Jharkhand Assembly elections, according to which, the BJP will contest 68 seats in the 81-member Assembly. Out of 68 seats allotted to the BJP, the party has already declared candidates for 66 seats.

BJP’s key allies, the AJSU, the Janata Dal-United (JDU), and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJP), have been allotted 10, two, and one seats.

Sita Soren, who recently switched to the BJP, is in the fray from Jamtara, while Geeta Koda has been fielded from the Jaganathpur constituency.

Lobin Hembrom will contest from Boria constituency, while Tara Devi has been fielded from Sindri, as per the list released by the BJP.

The party has left candidates for two seats undeclared. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has mentioned that the seat-sharing agreement was reached through discussions with all parties, though minor adjustments to one or two seats may be made by mutual consent.

The Election Commission of India on Friday issued a notification for the first phase of Assembly elections, marking the beginning of the nomination process. In the first phase, elections will be held in 43 of the 81 Assembly constituencies on November 13.

–IANS