He said that the INDIA alliance is united and the people of Jharkhand want Hemant Sorent to become the CM of Jharkhand again.

Speaking to media, Tejashwi Yadav said, “Talks for seat sharing have been completed. All the parties of the INDIA alliance believe in secularism, peace and harmony. We all want Jharkhand to move forward and the people of Jharkhand to prosper. The BJP, which ruled Jharkhand for the longest time, ruined Jharkhand. The BJP is anti-reservation and anti-constitution. The people of Jharkhand will give a befitting reply to the BJP. The INDIA alliance is united and the people of Jharkhand want Hemant Sorent to become the CM again.”

Earlier, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, accompanied by Jharkhand Congress in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir announced that the JMM and the Congress would share 70 seats between them, and the RJD and Left parties would split the remaining 11.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced its first list of 66 candidates for the Jharkhand Assembly elections on Saturday.

The party’s state chief, Babulal Marandi, will contest from Dhanwar, Lobin Hembrom from Borio, and Sita Soren from Jamtara. Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand Champai Soren has been nominated as the candidate from Saraikella, Geeta Balmuchu from Chaibasa, Geeta Koda from Jaganathpur, and Meera Munda, the wife of Union Minister Arjun Munda will contest from Potka.

Voting for the 81 seats of the Jharkhand assembly will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20, with votes to be counted on November 23.

Jharkhand Mukhya Mantri Maiyya Samman Yojana: Application Date

Applications for the scheme have already started on August 3, and over 2,500 women have applied for the scheme. Eligible women between the ages of 21 to 50 years old who are not part of other pension schemes can apply online.

Jharkhand Mukhya Mantri Maiyya Samman Yojana: Documents List

The necessary documents are Aadhar card, ration card, EPIC card, Aadhar linked bank account, and an applicant has to be a resident of Jharkhand. Application forms are available online, and applications can be submitted through the portal from August 21.

Jharkhand Mukhya Mantri Maiyya Samman Yojana: Eligibility Criteria

1. Women should be permanent residents of Jharkhand state.
2. Women whose ages are between 21 years to 50 years are eligible for this scheme.
3. Women whose family’s annual income is less than Rs 08 lakh.
4. Women whose family ration card is pink, yellow, white, or green.
5. All women of the family registered in Antyodaya Anna Yojana in Jharkhand state are eligible for this scheme.
6. Women’s family members should not be government employees or income taxpayers.
7. Applicants should have an account in any bank.
8. Women should have all the necessary documents listed above.

The Jharkhand State Government started the mmmsy.jharkhand.gov.in Registration 2024. All the permanent residents of Jharkhand state who cleared the eligibility criteria for Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana must go to the official website and complete the registration form online. 

Citing Raj Bhavan sources, a PTI report said Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, who was sworn-in as the 12th CM of the state on February 2 following Hemant’s arrest earlier this year, may resign soon and has sought an appointment with Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday evening.

Champai Soren will meet the Jharkhand governor at 7:30 PM tonight and it is being speculated that he will tender his resignation from the post of chief minister.

As per the PTI report, citing JMM sources, leaders and MLAs of the JMM-led ruling alliance held a meeting at Champai Soren’s residence on Wednesday afternoon where they unanimously elected Hemant Soren as the JMM legislature party leader.

“A decision was taken in the meeting to make Hemant Soren as the Chief Minister of the state again,” they said.

Congress’s Jharkhand in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir and its state president Rajesh Thakur also attended the meeting, besides Hemant Soren’s brother Basant and wife Kalpana.

If sworn in, Hemant Soren will be the 13th chief minister of Jharkhand, which was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000.

Hemant Soren Arrest

Earlier, on Friday, June 28, Hemant Soren was released from the Birsa Munda Jail after the state high court granted bail to him in an alleged money laundering case, observing that he was prima facie not guilty, and there was no likelihood of the petitioner committing an offence on bail.

Soren had resigned as chief minister shortly before his January 31 arrest, paving the way for his uncle, Champai Soren to ascend to the top post.

Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to the ‘illegal’ possession of 8.36 acres of land.

JMM a family venture, outsiders have no future: BJP

Meanwhile, opposition BJP slammed the decision to make Hemant Soren CM again, accusing the JMM of being a family-dominated party where outsiders have no political future.

“The Champai Soren era is over in Jharkhand. In the family-oriented party, people outside the family have no political future. I wish the chief minister drew inspiration from Bhagwan Birsa Munda and stood up against the corrupt Hemant Soren ji,” BJP MP Nishikant Dubey wrote on X.

Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi asserted that the tribals outside Shibu Soren’s family are only temporary faces in JMM. That family believes in using people as per their needs and requirements, he alleged.

Hemant is a son of Shibu Soren.

Marandi alleged that the real face of JMM, which had talked about rising above nepotism and electing a new chief minister five months ago, has once again been exposed. The BJP leader claimed that Champai Soren, who is known as the “tiger of Kolhan” in political circles, has been turned into a mouse today.

(With PTI inputs)

Addressing Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) workers at his Ranchi home, Soren accused the BJP of hatching a conspiracy against him to overthrow the democratically elected government in the state and warned that soon there would be a “revolt against those who plotted the conspiracy” to confine him in jail, adding that the “people of Jharkhand would not spare the BJP”.

“Time has come to put the last nail in BJP’s coffin. In coming days, the BJP will be wiped out from Jharkhand,” the JMM executive president said.

BJP’s ‘Mungerilal ke haseen sapne’

Soren alleged that the BJP controlled all constitutional establishments but people taught them a lesson in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

He further claimed that the BJP was plotting to prepone assembly polls in the state and dared the saffron party to “conduct the elections any day they wish to”.

“BJP’s dream of winning assembly elections in Jharkhand will be ‘Mungerilal ke haseen sapne’…the BJP is naming tribals as CMs in states but they are just rubber stamps,” he said.

Soren alleged that the pace of Jharkhand’s progress was “deliberately slowed down” in the last five months as the BJP was “afraid” of the popularity of the JMM-led alliance which had taken welfare measures for tribals, poor people and the downtrodden.

“The BJP has expertise in destroying the social fabric of India. It has divided people on the basis of caste, creed, religion and rich and poor,” he alleged.

Hemant Soren arrest

Hemant Soren was released on Friday from the Birsa Munda Jail after the state high court granted bail to him in an alleged money laundering case, observing that he was prima facie not guilty, and there was no likelihood of the petitioner committing an offence on bail.

Earlier this year, on January 31, Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to the ‘illegal’ possession of 8.36 acres of land.

Addressing JMM workers and supporters, Soren said the entire nation saw the way he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate and people are now reading the court order.

Later, the JMM leader garlanded the statue of tribal icon Birsa Munda at Birsa Chowk.

Hemant Soren gets bail

Hemant Soren was released on bail by the Jharkhand High Court on Friday. In its order, the court observed: “”Though the conduct of the petitioner has been sought to be highlighted by the Enforcement Directorate on account of the First Information Report instituted by the petitioner (Soren) against the officials of the ED but on an overall conspectus of the case, there is no likelihood of the petitioner committing a similar nature of the offence.”

The single bench order also mentioned that the consequence of the findings recorded by the court “satisfies the condition as at section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 to the effect that there is reason to believe that the petitioner is not guilty of the offence as alleged”.

It also mentioned, “The overall conspectus of the case based on broad possibilities does not specifically or indirectly assign the petitioner to be involved in the acquisition and possession as well as concealment of 8.86 acres of land at Shantinagar, Bargain, Ranchi connected to the proceeds of crime.”

‘Falsely imprisoned for raising my voice’

Soren, soon after his release from jail, had said, “I was falsely implicated. A conspiracy was hatched against me and I was forced to spend five months in jail.”

He alleged that those who raised their voice against the central government were being suppressed.

“I will complete the task that I had undertaken, the war I waged,” Soren said.

(With PTI inputs)

According to the police, the disturbing crime took place on Wednesday night when the minor victim was taken to a ground by the four accused where they raped her. The girl was then taken to an abandoned building where the accused raped her again and then strangled her to death.

Giving details, Barharwa Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Mangal Singh Jamuda told reporters that the accused hid the victim’s body after killing her which was later recovered by the cops after the crime came to light.

The officer said that all the four accused, including a 20-year-old man and three minors, all aged around 16 years, have been taken into custody and are being questioned by the police.

He said that the police have registered a case of murder and rape under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the POCSO Act.

The body of the 8-year-old victim has been sent for a post-mortem analysis, the SDPO said, adding that further investigation in the case is underway.

(With inputs from agencies)

Forest officials said the cadavers of the monkeys were fished out on Sunday in Sorath village in Panki block of Palamu district but it is not certain when they drowned.

“A total of 32 wild monkeys were found dead in an irrigation well in Sorath… the corpses were fished out,” Medininagar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Kumar Ashish told news agency PTI.

The area is reeling under an intense heatwave with temperatures touching 44-45 degrees Celsius leading to drying up of water sources which prompts wild animals to throng villages to find ways of quenching their thirst.

“Sources of water in the area have almost dried up… wild animals are coming to villages to quench their thirst… these monkeys apparently drowned during their bid to quench their thirst,” the official said.

He said the irrigation well in which the monkeys died, had ample water and autopsy reports of the deceased animals is awaited.

Notably, a few days ago, three jackals wandering in search of water in Chainpur forest died in a well, he said.

Jharkhand Heatwave

Jharkhand, akin to many other parts of the country, is battling intense heatwave conditions which has so far claimed over 160 lives in the past few weeks. Last week,  four persons died of sunstroke in Jharkhand while 1,326 others were admitted to various hospital amid sweltering heat in most parts of the eastern state.

All district hospitals and other medical facilities have been asked to set aside air-conditioned rooms and empty beds for heatstroke patients, officials said.

(With PTI inputs)

“The Congress and the JMM know nothing about development. All that they can do is to speak aloud lies everywhere, over and over again. Their ulterior motive is to grab the humble assets of the poor or steal them in the name of wealth redistribution,” Modi alleged while addressing a poll rally in Jharkhand’s Steel City, Jamshedpur.

He claimed the Congress and its INDIA bloc partners want to “snatch” reservations guaranteed for the SCs, STs and OBCs.

“They hurl abuses at Modi every day. Can’t they think of anything beyond this? Their true faces have been unmasked before the country today,” PM Modi said.

Will return every cent ‘looted’ from people

The Prime Minister attacked Jharkhand’s ruling Congress-JMM alliance over the cash seizure from the house of a domestic help of sitting minister and Congress leader Alamgir Alam’s aide, alleging that the leaders of both these parties have looted and “pillaged” Jharkhand at “every opportunity”.

“The leaders of the Congress and the JMM have amassed black money at the expense of the poor. They have pillaged Jharkhand and looted the people at every opportunity. The Congress is the mother of corruption. Sadly, when we talk about Jharkhand these days, piles and piles of currency notes flash before our eyes,” he said, and vowed to return every cent allegedly “looted” by Opposition leaders.

“The JMM indulged in a land scam in Jharkhand. They usurped the land of poor tribals and those owned by the army. The mountains of notes being recovered from their houses are your money. Modi is retrieving the money that these dishonest people stole and hoarded. I am not doing this to put the recovered money in the government’s treasury. I will return every cent of it to the people who are the rightful owners of the stolen money. This is Modi’s guarantee,” Modi said.

Rahul Gandhi targeting India’s wealth creators

Modi also trained guns on Rahul Gandhi, accusing the Congress scion of opposing India’s wealth creators and projecting them as enemies of the State.

“The Congress considers our entrepreneurs and wealth creators as enemies. Their leaders openly attack businessmen and corporates who do not give them money. They are not bothered about our industries or the welfare of our youth,” the PM claimed.

“Their ‘Shehzada’ keeps opposing business houses, businessmen, and investors. Which businessman will go and invest in the states they rule after being roundly abused? What will happen to the youth of these states? Many investors told me that they were unwilling to put their money in these states as the ruling parties were opposed to their practices and wealth creation. They are being abused and insulted. Most of our investors and wealth creators assume that since the Shehzada (Rahul) harbours such views against them, their partners would also see them in a negative light,” PM Modi added.

‘Shehzada’ fled Wayanad to Rae Bareli

Claiming that the Congress only caters to “one family”, Modi said Rahul “fled” Wayanad (the constituency he currently represents in the Lok Sabha) to Raebareli, playing on the emotion around it being his mother’s seat.

“The Congress’ Shehzada fled Wayanad to contest Raebareli in the ongoing elections. He is going to people, playing up emotions around Raebareli and how it was his mother’s seat. Even an 8-year-old child would know better than to call his school his father’s even if the latter studied in the same school. Jharkhand has to be saved from such parties that only serve families and not people,” PM Modi said.

Rae Bareli will be among the hotly contested seats in the fifth phase, with the BJP vowing to give the Congress a run for its money in its stronghold.  Rahul Gandhi, who is contesting from Rae Bareli, is pitted against BJP’s Dinesh Pratap Singh.

(With ANI inputs)

Addressing a poll rally in Palamu, Modi, without name dropping Rahul Gandhi, took a swipe at the Congress leader, claiming that Pakistan wants him as the Prime Minister, but India wants “a strong country with a strong PM”.

“Maa Bharati’s disrespect won’t be tolerated anymore. New India’s surgical and air strikes shook Pakistan, which was known for supporting terror attacks on India during the Congress regime.

“The new India knows how to enter enemy territory and strike… Shaken by the surgical and air strikes, leaders in Pakistan are now praying that the Congress ‘shehzada’ becomes PM of India… But, our strong nation wants a strong government and leader,” Modi said at the rally to campaign for BJP candidate from Palamu, V D Ram.

Congress was ‘helpless’ against terror

Sharpening his attack on the opposition party, Modi claimed that earlier, Congress-led governments were “helpless” after any terror attack on the country, but the situation is such now that Pakistan is “seeking help from the world to save the nation”.

“The surgical and the Balakot strikes shook Pakistan. Now Pakistan is crying all over the world and is shouting, ‘Bachao, Bachao. Leaders in Pakistan are praying that Congress’ Shehzada becomes the PM. But the strong India only wants a strong government now,” Modi said.

‘Your one vote…’

Modi urged the electorate to recognise the importance of one vote, “which contributed to building the Ram Temple after generations struggled for 500 years, as well as the scrapping of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir.”

Modi also said he will not allow “any design of the Congress” to succeed in “changing the constitution for providing reservations to Muslims”.

“Congress and the India bloc want to usurp your land. They want to snatch quotas for SC, ST and OBCs and provide reservations to Muslims by altering the constitution. Till I am alive, I will not now allow any such design of the Congress to succeed,” he asserted.

’25 crore people taken out of poverty’

The prime minister said 25 crore people came out of poverty in the last 10 years of the NDA government.

“Congress never bothered for the welfare of people. The party’s ‘shehzada’ was born with a silver spoon, and poses for the camera when he visits the house of the poor. But, it is my commitment to transform India.

“There is no blot of corruption on me in the past 25 years as chief minister and prime minister. I don’t own a home or even a bicycle… but corrupt JMM and Congress leaders amassed huge wealth for their children,” he said.

Hailing tribal icon Birsa Munda, Modi said it is his promise to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Munda as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh’.

(With inputs from agencies)

However, the ruling party is facing a new challenger in the upcoming general elections, Sunaina Singh— a 35-year-old transgender woman, who is striving to change the status quo in India’s coal capital.

Who is Sunaina Singh?

Sunaina Singh, 35, a transgender activist, is the district president of the ‘Kinnar Maa Trust’, who is contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in a bid to change the status quo and change the fortunes of the key constituency, which according to her, has become a hub of corruption, crime, and poverty.

Abandoned at birth by her biological parents, the life story of Sunaina is mirrored by scores of similar ones from the transgender community. She was taken in by the community who took care of her and helped her get a decent education. After her initial schooling, Singh earned a Bachelors degree in Zoology from the P K Roy Memorial College in Dhanbad.

“After my birth, I was abandoned at the hospital by my parents. The state president of our community took care of me after that. I tried to find a job in Delhi, but faced a lot of discrimination. I finally decided to return to Dhanbad and decided to serve the people of the constituency,” Sunaina told news agency PTI.

‘Want to remove crime, poverty in Dhanbad’

Asked about her motivation to enter politics, Sunaina claimed that Dhanbad has become a cesspit of poverty, corruption, crime, and unemployment… and she aims to remedy that.

“No development work has been carried out in Dhanbad, a major coal supplier. Cases of murder and extortion have also increased manifold here. My agenda is clear. I would like to work for improvement in education and create employment opportunities. The unemployment rate is high in Dhanbad and even educated youths are not getting jobs,” the 35-year-old said.

She also asserted that fighting against corruption plaguing the state is also a key agenda for her as it is one of main reasons hindering the state’s development.

“I also want to fight against corruption, which is one of the major deterrents in the path of the state’s progress,” Singh told PTI.

‘People generously funding my campaign’

Sunaina Singh, who also works extensively for the betterment of transgender persons in the state, expressed anguish over the “inequality against the transgender community”.

About how she plans to fund her poll campaign, Sunaina revealed that people from the transgender community as well as the general public have been making donations to encourage her to fight the elections.

On  Tuesday, Sunaina announced her candidature from Dhanbad. She will contest the polls on the ticket offered by Uttar Pradesh-based Naqi Bhartiya Ekta Party (NBEP). Singh revealed that she had planned to contest as an independent candidate, but was later offered a ticket by the Chaudhary Zarar Ahmed Naqi-led NBEP.

Dhanbad Lok Sabha Election 2024

However, the 35-year-old faces a monumental challenge as she goes up against BJP candidate Dulu Mahto. The ruling party has maintained an iron grip over the Dhanbad seat in Jharkhand since ages and it will indeed be a remarkable feat to dethrone it.

The Dhanbad Lok Sabha constituency, which covers Bokaro and Dhanbad districts in Jharkhand, is one of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state, and will go to polls on May 25– Phase 6 of the seven-phased Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

The opposition INDIA bloc has not announced a candidate from the Dhanbad seat yet.

(With PTI inputs)

According to reports, in December 2018,  a father-son duo had been arrested by the Dhanbad Police along with 10 kg marijuana and nine kilos of ‘bhang’. The accused, Shambhu Agarwal and his son, were booked for the possession of banned narcotics and the drugs were confiscated and kept in a warehouse.

Recently, during trial, the court of Principal and Session Judge Ram Sharma had ordered investigation officer Jaiprakash Prasad to exhibit the confiscated material. But despite court orders, the cops failed to present the seized drugs and when reprimanded, the Dhanbad Police submitted that the narcotics had been consumed by rats, India Today reported.

As per the report, a report filed by the investigation officer on April 6 told the court that rats ate the drugs which the police had stored in the warehouse.

The counsel of the accused father-son duo told the media that his clients had been arrested by the police in a fabricated case.

Advocate Abhay Bhatt, who represents Shambhu Agarwal and his son, asked why the police failed to produce the confiscated drugs in the court, despite specific orders. Bhatt asserted that his clients are not guilty and the failure of the cops to present evidence in court is clear indication in that direction.

Meanwhile, following the bizarre explanation presented by the Dhanbad Police, the department has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

According to an official, the poll body has decided to extend poll timings so that people can cast their ballots during evening hours and aren’t forced to go out in the scorching afternoon sun to exercise their franchise.

Besides, makeshift sheds have been set up at polling booths where people and security personnel can rest and get some reprieve from the intense heat, the official said, adding that medical teams and ambulance will be stationed at all poll booths to deal with any emergency situation.

The official said that ORS (rehydration salts) and lemon water will also be served to voters, officials, as well as security officers at the booths.

Jharkhand preps to hold LS polls amidst intense heatwave

Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. Jharkhand will go to polls in the last four phases, May 13, 20, 25, and June 1, for its 14 seats– the peak of the predicted heatwave.

The state has over 2.55 crore eligible voters, including 1.25 crore women and ensuring a healthy turnout amidst the intense heatwave presents a significant challenge for both the state and the Election Commission.

In 2019, Jharkhand’s overall voter turnout was 66.8 per cent, lower than the national average of 67.4 per cent.

In a bid to address this, the poll authorities have introduced several measures such as extending polling hours from 7 AM to 5 PM and providing temporary shelters at booths have been implemented.

Poll timings extended

Facilities like drinking water, ORS, and lemon water mixed with salt and sugar will be also be made available, along with medical teams stationed at each polling station to handle emergencies, officials said.

“Keeping in mind the safety of voters, we have extended the poll timing. Voting will start at 7 am and end at 5 pm. It means electors can exercise their franchise in the morning hours or in the second half as per their convenience,” Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) K Ravi Kumar told news agency PTI.

“To spread awareness in this regard, we will soon launch a slogan ‘Abki Baar, Din Bhar Matdaan,” he said.

Sheds, drinking water facilities at poll booths

The CEO said temporary shed of 15×15 feet are also being set up at all the booths across the state. “There will be permanent as well as temporary sheds for the polling parties and voters in all booths this time,” Kumar said.

Besides drinking water facilities at the booths, there will be arrangements of ORS and lemon water mixed with salt and sugar at selected booths, he said.

“Two employees will also be deployed to provide drinking water at all booths. We are also planning to keep earthen pots for drinking water wherever possible,” Kumar said.

Voting will be conducted in a total of 29,521 polling stations this time, up from 29,464 in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Medical teams, ambulances at polling booths

State Health department officials said medical teams will be deployed at every polling station to deal with sudden emergencies. Mobile ambulances and air ambulances for emergency needs will also be kept on standby.

“Paramedical staff will be deployed at every polling station and they would be equipped with a medical kit, comprising life-saving drugs, ORS and other required medicines. Mobile ambulance and air ambulance facilities will also be available for emergency services,” the CEO said.

(With PTI inputs)

Munda and Annapurna Devi, both Union Ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet, will contest from Khunti ST and Koderma, respectively.

Meanwhile, former Congress MP Geeta Koda, who is the wife of ex-Jharkhand  Chief Minister Madhu Koda, has been fielded from Singhbhum (ST). She had won the Singhbhum seat on a Congress ticket in 2019 by a margin of 72,155 votes defeating BJP’s Laxman Gilua.

Here the list of candidates announced by the BJP for Jharkhand:

1. Rajmahal– Tala Marandi
2. Dumka– Sunil Soren
3. Godda– Nishikant Dubey
4. Koderma– Annapurna Devi
5. Ranchi– Sanjay Seth
6. Jamshedpur– Vidyut Baran Mahato
7. Singhbhum– Geeta Koda
8. Khunti– Arjun Munda
9. Lohardaga– Sameer Oraon
10. Palamu– Vishnu Dayal Ram
11. Hazaribagh– Manish Jaiswal

New candidates

Among the 11 names announced by the BJP, four are new candidates, including Geeta Koda, Rajya Sabha MP Samir Oraon, Tala Marandi and Manish Jaiswal.

The seven other candidates will seek re-election from their respective constituencies, including Union Ministers Arjun Munda (Khunti ST) and Annapurna Devi (Koderma).

BJP’s Hazaribag MLA Manish Jaiswal replaces sitting party MP Jayant Sinha from Hazaribag Lok Sabha seat. Jaiswal won the Hazaribag assembly constituency in 2019 by defeating Congress’ Dr Ramchandra Prasad.

Sinha, son of former union minister Yashwant Sinha, said earlier in the day that he had requested party president J P Nadda to relieve him from direct electoral duties as he wanted to focus on “combating climate change in Bharat”.

Stalwarts fielded in key seats

The BJP has reposed faith in its Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand Samir Oraon, whose term is ending on May 3, for the Lok Sabha polls. Oraon, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2018, has been fielded from Lohardaga (ST) seat, replacing existing MP Sudarshan Bhagat, whose victory margin during the last polls was barely 10,363.

The saffron party fielded its former Jharkhand state president Tala Marandi from Rajmahal (ST) seat, which is currently held by JMM’s Vijay Hansdak.

In 2019, BJP’s Hemlal Murmu had contested from the seat and lost to JMM. Marandi had won the Borio assembly seat on a BJP ticket in 2014. In 2019, Marandi had joined the AJSU party after being denied a ticket from the BJP. However, he lost to JMM’s Lobin Hembrom. Marandi again returned to BJP in 2022.

Union Minister Arjun Munda has been chosen again from Khunti (ST) seat which he had won by a narrow margin of 1445 votes in 2019, defeating Congress’s Kalicharan Munda.

Palamu (SC) seat will be contested by former Director General of Police Vishnu Dayal Ram who won the seat by a margin of 4,77,606 votes during the last polls.

Union minister Annapurna Devi, contesting on a JVM-P ticket in 2019 from Koderma, will fight from the same seat. She defeated state BJP president and former chief minister Babulal Marandi by a margin of 4,55,600 votes.

From the Ranchi seat, the party has fielded sitting MP Sanjay Seth who had defeated Congress’s Subodh Kant Sahay by a margin of 2,82,780 votes.

From Jamshedpur, BJP MP Bidyut Baran Mahto has been repeated. Mahto had defeated current Chief Minister Champai Soren in 2019 Lok Sabha polls by 3,02,090 votes.

Dumka (ST) went to sitting MP Sunil Soren who defeated JMM president Shibu Soren in 2019 polls by a margin of 47,590 votes while sitting MP Nishikant Dubey will contest from Godda. Dubey had defeated JVM-P’s Pradeep Yadav by 1,84,227 votes.

(With inputs from agencies)

“I have requested JP Nadda to relieve me of my direct electoral duties so that I can focus my efforts on combating global climate change in Bharat and around the world. Of course, I will continue to work with the party on economic and governance issues,” Sinha wrote in a post on his X handle.

Sinha, a former Minister of State for Finance and Civil Aviation in the Modi government, expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the BJP leadership for the opportunities provided to him.

“I have had the privilege of serving the people of Bharat and Hazaribagh for the past ten years. Moreover, I have been blessed by the many opportunities provided by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Hon’ble Home Minister Shri Amit Shah ji, and the BJP leadership. My sincerest gratitude to all of them,” the MP from Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh said in his X post.

The BJP is said to be contemplating giving tickets to several new leaders and some other sitting MPs also are understood to have told the party that they would like to focus on other organisational work.

Gautam Gambhir asks to be relieved of political duties

Earlier in the day, BJP’s East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir also said he said asked the party to relieve him from political duties so that he can focus on his upcoming cricket commitments.

The former Team India star batter also thanked PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Shah for allowing him to serve people.

“I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!,” Gambhir said in a post on X.

Gautam Gambhir has been the Lok Sabha MP for BJP since 2019 in East Delhi.

Notably, Gambhir will be occupied in the coming months due to his commitments in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he is serving as the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), a team he led to two IPL titles as a captain.

(With inputs from agencies)

Soren on Sunday travelled to New Delhi to meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, amidst reports resentment brewing among a section of Congress legislators over the induction of four JMM MLAs as ministers.

After meeting with Kharge, Champai Soren told reporters that it was a “courtesy meeting” with the Congress president after taking charge as the chief minister.

#WATCH | Delhi: After meeting Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren says, "After forming the government, I came to Delhi for the first time and it was a courtesy meeting.

When asked about the Congress MLAs, he says, "…It is their party's… pic.twitter.com/VBOlduez7C

— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2024

Asked about the reports of Congress MLAs being disgruntled over the recent cabinet formation, Soren shrugged it off as “internal matter” of the Congress.

‘Congress, JMM resolute in fight against BJP’

Meanwhile after the meeting, Kharge said the Jharkhand Congress and Champai Soren are resolute in their fight against the BJP-led Centre.

“Today, along with Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Champai Soren ji and leaders of Jharkhand Congress, we again resolved to fight the dictatorial government (Centre),” Kharge wrote on X.

“We will continue our journey of progressiveness, public welfare and social justice in Jharkhand,” he said.

Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur, AICC general secretary in-charge of the state Ghulam Ahmad Mir and Pranav Jha, among others, were present during Soren’s meeting with Kharge.

VIDEO | Here's what Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir said when asked about Jharkhand CM Champai Soren's meeting with party president Mallikarjun Kharge.

"There was a change in government (in Jharkhand). Everyone is aware why it happened. Following the cabinet expansion, the CM… pic.twitter.com/UvPWcLwHEN

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 18, 2024

Asked about the meeting, Mir also told reporters that it was a courtesy call.

Asked about the section of disgruntled Congress MLAs being in Delhi, Mir said they did not have any problem with the government but had some specific issues, some related to their respective constituencies, which they would raise with the party leadership and sort out.

Alliance is ‘strong’

Earlier in the morning, Soren said, “There’s no issue, our alliance is strong.”

On being asked about disgruntled Congress MLAs reaching Delhi, he had told reporters, “This is an internal matter of the Congress, they will resolve it. I have nothing to say about that. There is no conflict between the JMM and Congress, and everything is absolutely fine.”

As many as 12 MLAs of the Congress have threatened to boycott the upcoming state assembly session from February 23 and head to Jaipur if the ministers are not replaced with new faces.

The JMM-led alliance in the state has 47 MLAs (JMM-29, Congress-17 and one RJD) in the 81-member assembly.

Unhappy with the Congress’ decision to give ministerial berths to Alamgir Alam, Rameshwar Oraon, Banna Gupta and Badal Patralekh again, the disgruntled section of Congress legislators went into a huddle Saturday at a Ranchi hotel, where JMM’s new minister Basant Soren, the youngest son of party supremo Shibu Soren, reached to persuade them to change their decision.

“There is no confusion…we are all united,” Basant Soren said after meeting the MLAs.

(With PTI inputs)

“Jiski Jitni Sankhya Bhari, Uski Utni Hissedari (Bigger the population, bigger the share). Jharkhand is ready,” CM Soren wrote on X, in a not-so-subtle hint at the caste-based survey in the state.

A senior official said that the chief minister has given the go-ahead for the caste census in Jharkhand on the the lines of neighbouring Bihar. He said the CM has directed the personnel department to prepare a draft (SoP for conducting the survey) and place it before the cabinet for approval.

“The personnel department will prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) to conduct the survey in Jharkhand. It will be placed before the cabinet for approval,” Vinay Kumar Choubey, principal secretary to the CM Champai Soren, told news agency PTI.

Choubey said the will be conducted on the pattern of neighbouring Bihar, where data collection was conducted between January 7 and October 2 last year.  “If everything goes according to the plan, the exercise will begin after the Lok Sabha elections,” he said.

The senior official said that several departments, including rural and welfare, were considered but the personnel department was finalised for carrying out the survey, adding that if everything goes according to the plan, the caste survey would commence just after the Lok Sabha elections.

Jharkhand caste survey

Legislators of the ruling JMM-Congress-RJD government in Jharkhand have been demanding a caste-based survey in the state. They also raised the demand several times in the state assembly.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during his Jharkhand leg of the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in the first week of this month, also advocated for the caste census.

Gandhi had promised a nationwide caste census and the removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservation if the opposition INDIA bloc formed the government at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls.

Recently, the Telangana government also announced a caste-based survey in the Congress-ruled state. A resolution to conduct a door-to-door household caste survey was passed in the Telangana Legislative Assembly on Friday.

The resolution, moved by Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, was adopted after a debate in the House.

A caste-based census was one of the pre-poll promises made by Rahul Gandhi while campaigning for the Telangana Assembly polls late last year.

(With PTI inputs)

Basant is also the younger brother of former chief minister Hemant Soren, who is in judicial custody in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

Besides him, the new face in the 11-member cabinet is JMM’s Chaibasa MLA Deepak Birua.

Basant Soren was elected as an MLA from Dumka assembly constituency, after he defeated BJP’s Louis Marandi with a margin of 6,842 votes in a by-poll held in November 2020.

Birua won the Chaibasa seat by defeating BJP’s J B Tubid by more than 26,000 votes in the 2019 assembly polls.

Those who retained their ministerial berths include Rameshwar Oraon, Banna Gupta and Badal Patralekh of the Congress in addition to JMM’s Mithilesh Kumar Thakur, Hafizul Hasan and Bebi Devi.

Governor C P Radhakrishnan administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers.

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Birsa Mandap of Raj Bhavan in presence of senior leaders of the JMM-led alliance and other government officials.

“The portfolios will be distributed today. We will take forward the work of Jharkhand’s development after assigning responsibilities to every minister,” the CM said.

“The party has given me a big responsibility and I hope to fulfill it,” Basant Soren said.

Birua also expressed happiness over his induction in the cabinet. “I will work for the welfare of the state with vigour and zeal,” he asserted.

JMM minister Hafizul Hasan added: “This is the oath of sorrow that we have taken today as our leader (Hemant Soren) is in jail. We have to intensify our struggle for justice.”

Madhupur legislator Hasan was the minister of tourism, art, culture and sports in the previous government.

Meanwhile, JMM’s Latehar MLA Baidyanath Ram, whose name initially featured in the list of ministers, was allegedly dropped at the eleventh hour.

A close associate of Ram said that his name was withdrawn following a discussion with the chief minister.

“The CM has assured him that he would be considered in future,” the aide said.

Ram could not be reached for comments.

Champai Soren, however, said that discussions over the 12th minister “are still underway”.

Rameshwar Oraon, who was re-inducted in the cabinet, earlier held the finance portfolio during the Hemant Soren government.

Banna Gupta, a congress legislator from the Jamshedpur West constituency, was health minister in the previous JMM government, while Badal Patralekh held the agriculture portfolio.

Mithilesh Kumar Thakur, a JMM legislator from Garhwa, was earlier the drinking water and sanitation minister, and Bebi Devi was the excise minister.

She contested the Dumri by-poll in 2023 after the death of her husband Jagannath Mahto.

On February 2, Champai Soren, 67, was sworn in as the 12th chief minister of the state, while senior Congress leader Alamgir Alam and RJD leader Satyanand Bhokta took oath as ministers.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) executive president Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31, shortly after he resigned as the chief minister.

The JMM-led alliance in the state has 47 MLAs JMM-29, Congress-17 and one of the RJD in the 81-member assembly.

The BJP has 26 legislators and the AJSU Party has three. The NCP and CPI (ML) have one lawmaker each, apart from two Independents. There is also a nominated member.

(Only the headline has been reworked by India.com staff. Copy comes from an agency feed)

Advocate General Rajeev Ranjan, who appeared for Soren, claimed that even the air comes through a pipe in that basement room and the former CM is constantly being monitored by the armed guards, even while sleeping.

The AG claimed that Hemant Soren has been kept in a basement room where even sunlight does not reach as there are no windows.

A special PMLA court Wednesday extended the Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand of Hemant Soren by five days in a purported money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

‘Soren being kept behind bars in view of LS polls’

On February 2, the JMM executive president was remanded to five days’ ED custody by the special PMLA (The Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court which ended on Wednesday.

“The ED had prayed for seven days of remand which we objected saying no further remand is required because he has already been interrogated for eight hours on January 20 and another eight hours on January 31,” AG Ranjan told reporters.

The AG said Soren has already been interrogated by the agency for 120 hours in five days.

“So, there is no need for any further remand. But they have tried to expand this scope of investigation beyond the predicate offence matter. We have been saying that they (ED) have no power and jurisdiction to investigate anything beyond the predicate offence,” the AG said.

He said the FIR has been lodged in connection with 8.5 acres of land which is there in the scheduled offence while in today’s petition the agency have used other chats which are not linked to the present land deal in which he has been arrested.

Ranjan alleged that the ED wants to keep the former CM behind bars for as long as they can in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

‘I am the wife of a warrior’

Meanwhile, the jailed politician’s wife wife Kalpana Soren shared a heartwarming message on social media on the occasion of their 18th wedding anniversary.

Kalpana Soren wrote that he is the life partner of a warrior and will always be his strength.

She said her husband is not with the family on their wedding anniversary but she will not be emotional as he will “defeat conspiracy and emerge as a winner”.

“Hemant ji did not accept to bow down, to protect the identity and existence of Jharkhand. He chose to dedicate himself and fight the conspiracy. Today is our 18th wedding anniversary but Hemant ji is not among the family or children. We believe that he will defeat this conspiracy and emerge as a winner and join us soon,” she wrote in a post in Hindi.

“I am the life partner of a brave Jharkhand warrior. I will not be emotional today. Like Hemant ji, I will smile even in difficult circumstances and become his strength of courage and struggle,” Kalpana Soren said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The legislators, who had been whisked away to Hyderabad in Telangana amid the fear of being poached by the opposition BJP, arrived in a chartered flight at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport on Sunday evening and were taken to the Circuit House in the city in two buses.

VIDEO | Jharkhand Congress MLAs arrive at Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi from Hyderabad.

The floor test in Jharkhand Assembly is scheduled to be held on February 5. pic.twitter.com/EWrr5oTDKm

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 4, 2024

‘We are united’

Talking to reporters at the airport, Jharkhand Minister Alamgir Alam exuded confidence about winning the trust vote and asserted that the alliance’s legislators are “united”.

“Our MLAs are united… We have the support of 48 to 50 legislators,” Alam said.

#WATCH | Jharkhand: JMM and Congress MLAs arrive at the Ranchi airport.

Floor Test of the new government of Jharkhand is likely to be held in the Assembly tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/dhNrXVBXAT

— ANI (@ANI) February 4, 2024

JMM MLA Mithilesh Thakur also expressed similar views, stating that the JMM-led coalition will sail through the trust vote.

Thakur also claimed that the JMM-led Alliance also has the support of “many BJP legislators”.

JMM-led alliance will lose trust vote: BJP

However, Thakur’s claims were junked by BJP’s Chief Whip Biranchi Narain, who asserted that the coalition was set to lose the vote of confidence on Monday.

Narain claimed that the alliance MLAs were kept under strict surveillance in Hyderabad, “which indicates that they were not confident of winning.”

The opposition BJP convened its legislature party’s meeting on Sunday to chalk out its strategy in the House.

“The saffron party will oppose the trust motion in the House tomorrow as Champai Soren, after taking oath as chief minister, had said he will take ahead the programmes of the previous Hemant Soren government.

“This reflects it is the Hemant Soren government part 2, which will also indulge in corruption and malpractices,” Narayan alleged.

MLAs flown to Hyderabad amid poaching fears

The MLAs of the ruling JMM-led alliance were at a resort in Hyderabad for the past three days before leaving for Ranchi on Sunday evening.

About 38 legislators had gone to Hyderabad in two flights on February 2, amid the coalition’s fears that the BJP might attempt to “poach” them in the run-up to the trust vote.

A video released by the coalition on Thursday had claimed the support of 43 legislators in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly.

The Champai Soren-led alliance government in Jharkhand will seek a vote of confidence on Monday, the first day of the two-day assembly session.

Soren was administered the oath of office by Governor C P Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan on February 2.

Along with him, senior Congress leader Alamgir Alam and RJD leader Satyanand Bhokta took oath as ministers.

JMM legislature party leader Champai Soren took oath as the chief minister on Friday, after his predecessor Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED on Wednesday in a money laundering case, throwing the state in political turmoil.

A special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court has allowed him to participate in the trust vote. Hemant Soren was remanded to ED custody for five days by the court on Friday.

The alliance between the JMM, Congress and RJD has 47 MLAs, and it is supported from outside by a lone CPIML(L) legislator.

(With PTI inputs)

जय बाबा बैद्यनाथ

देवघर, झारखंड pic.twitter.com/jIWxybPpz3

— Congress (@INCIndia) February 3, 2024

Rahul Gandhi also “performed Rudrabhishek at the world-famous Baba Baidyanath Dham”, according to Congress. The Wayanad MP visited the ancient temple in Deoghar dedicated to Lord Shiva on Saturday afternoon and offered prayers, the party said.

Rahul Gandhi ji visited Baba Baidyanath Dham

जय बाबा बैद्यनाथ

Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Deoghar, Jharkhand
Har Har Mahadev pic.twitter.com/JYlFzzqrTi

— Pritesh Shah (@priteshshah_) February 3, 2024

Congress ‘protected’ Jharkhand govt

Earlier, while addressing a gathering in Godda district, Gandhi accused the BJP of attempting to “steal” the government in Jharkhand and asserted that the Congress intervened to safeguard the people’s mandate.

The Congress leader claimed that his party played a huge role “protecting” the JMM-led coalition government, emphasising their commitment to opposing the BJP’s ideology.

Youth plagued by unemployment

Later, after a religious halt at the Baba Baidyanath Dham, where Gandhi took part in Rudrabhishek ceremony, he addressed another rally at Kuwan Singh Chowk and attacked the BJP government over unemployment.

आज @RahulGandhi जी ने झारखंड के विश्व प्रसिद्ध बाबा बैधनाथ धाम में रुद्राभिषेक कर देश की सुख-शांति और समृद्धि की प्रार्थना की। pic.twitter.com/yZPMmz3yBs

— Congress (@INCIndia) February 3, 2024

“The country’s youth want employment. BJP and PM Modi have spread the disease of unemployment in the country. This new disease has infected the Indian youth and has destroyed their future,” Gandhi said in a scathing attack against the ruling dispensation.

He also emphasised on conducting the caste census to get actual figure of tribals, Dalits and backward class people in the country.

“Injustice against tribals, Dalits and backward class people are increasing in the country,” he said.

Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra

The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which began in Manipur on January 14, entered the state from West Bengal through the Pakur district on Friday afternoon.

After a night’s halt at Littipara in Pakur, the yatra resumed from Sarkanda Chowk in Godda district on Saturday morning, Congress spokesperson Rakesh Sinha said, adding that the yatra will halt at Halkata in Tundi block of Dhanbad.

The yatra will travel 804 km, covering 13 districts of the state over eight days in two phases.

In all, it will travel 6,713 km in 67 days, passing through 110 districts in 15 states before culminating in Mumbai on March 20.

(With PTI inputs)

“We have invited him to take oath. Now they will decide when to take it,” the governor’s Principal Secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni told news agency PTI.

Earlier on Thursday, Champai Soren, heading a delegation of JMM-led coalition, called on the governor and urged him to accept his claim to form the government at the earliest as there was “confusion” in the state.

He told Radhakrishnan that the state which was without a chief minister since the resignation of Hemant Soren, deepening the political crisis.

Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case after he resigned as chief minister on Wednesday night.

JMM-led Alliance MLAs whisked to Telangana

As uncertainty loomed large, the JMM-led alliance on late Thursday purportedly planned to shift their MLAs outside Jharkhand to prevent horse-trading and the legislators being “poached” by the BJP.

A bus carrying MLAs of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress-RJD alliance was reportedly seen outside the Ranchi airport on Thursday night, ANI reported.

Reports said the MLAs then boarded a flight at the Ranchi airport and are likely to be flown to Hyderabad. “The MLAs are likely to be shifted to Hyderabad. The flight has however not taken off yet due to low visibility,” sources said, according to ANI.

Speaking to reporters outside Ranchi airport, Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur claimed that the alliance has enough numbers to form the government.

“3-4 MLAs will stay in Ranchi to keep a watch here (in Jharkhand). We have enough numbers to form the government. All 43 MLAs are together, we have full confidence. We will keep meeting the Governor until he calls us to form the government,” Thakur told reporters outside Ranchi airport.

#WATCH | Ranchi: Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur says, "We are going to the airport. You know what kind of people they are, they can do anything anytime. A total of 43 MLAs are going…" pic.twitter.com/stNK8RTkXy

— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2024

“You know what kind of people they are….they can do anything anytime. A total of 43 MLAs are going,” Thakur said in a veiled jibe at the BJP.

Champai Soren stakes claims to form govt

Earlier in the day, Champai Soren along with 43 legislators had met Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan, staking claim to form the government in the state.

“We have demanded from the Governor that the process to start the formation of the new Government should begin. The Governor has also assured us that the process will begin soon,” Champai Soren told reporters after the meeting with the Governor.

“Currently, we have submitted the report with 43 MLAs in our support. We expect that the number will reach 46-47 so there is no problem. Our ‘gathbandhan’ is very strong,” he added.

In the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led alliance, which includes Congress and RJD ruling has 47 MLAs, including 29 of JMM, 17 of Congress, and 1 of RJD.

The BJP has 25 members and the AJSU party has three MLAs. The NCP and CPI (ML)L have one member each, apart from 3 Independents.

A political crisis was triggered in the state following the arrest of former chief minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday night.

(With inputs from agencies)