Jharkhand Assembly results: Women kin of top politicians fare badly; two ex-CMs’ wives lose

JMM is leading in 34 seats, Congress in 16 and its allies RJD and CPI(ML) in four and two seats respectively. BJP is leading in 21 seats

Spouses, daughters and daughters-in-law of Jharkhand MLAs in the poll fray fared badly as several high-profile women bit the dust on Saturday (November 23, 2024). Wives of two ex-CMs – Geetha Koda (wife of Madhu Koda) and Meera Munda (wife of Arjun Munda) have lost their poll battle from Jaganathpur and Potka respectvely. Kalpana Soren, wife of incumbent CM Hemant Soren, who faced a tough fight by BJP newcomer Muniya Devi retained her Gandey seat by a margin of 13,056 votes. 

Four members from JMM chief Shibu Soren’s family were in the poll fray. Incumbent CM Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana Soren, his brother Basant Soren have managed to win from Barhait, Gandey and Dumka. However, estranged daughter-in-law Sita Soren lost from Jamtara by 43,458 votes to Congress incumbent MLA Irfan Ansari. Ms. Soren switched to the BJP after falling out with the Soren family over the Chief Minister’s chair after Mr. Hemant Soren’s resignation. 

Two ex-CMs’ wives lose poll bids

Former Congress Madhu Koda’s wife - Geetha Koda, who joined the BJP days before the polls, lost to Congress’s Sona Ram Sinku by a margin of 7,383 votes. Ms. Koda has held the seat twice when she was in the Congress and recently lost her Lok Sabha bid on a BJP ticket to JMM’s Joba Majhi. Similarly, ex-CM Arjun Munda’s wife Meera Munda lost her poll bid to incumbent JMM MLA Sanjib Sardar. Mr. Munda himself recently lost his seat – Khunti Lok Sabha - to Congress’ Kali Charan Munda. 

Ex-CM Raghubar Das’ daughter-in-law Purnima Das Sahu managed to retain her family bastion Jamshedpur East. She trumped Congress’ Ajoy Kumar – a former Superintendent of police (SP), winning by a margin of 42,586 votes. Jamshedpur East has been held by BJP since 1990s and represented five times by Mr. Das between 1995 and 2014. 

In Jharia, BJP candidate Ragini Singh, wife of former BJP MLA Sanjeev Singh trumped over Congress’ Purnima Niraj Singh, widow of the late Niraj Singh by 14,511 votes. Similarly, husband and wife independent candidates – Chitranjan Sao and Sunita Devi lost to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM) Yogendra Prasad. 

The battle for Ichagarh saw JMM’s Savita Mahato, widowed daughter-in-law of the late Nirmal Mahato – a leading figure of the Jharkhand movement, trump All Jharkhand Student Union’s (AJSU) Hare Lal Mahato. She won by a margin of 12,105 votes. Ichagarh was held by her late husband Sudhir Mahato twice (1990-95, 2005-2009), which Sabita Mahato wrested back from the BJP in 2019. Congress’ Deepika Pandey, the daughter-in-law of RJD’s Siwan (Bihar) MLA Awadh Bihari Singh, has won from Mahagam, defeating BJP’s Ashok Kumar by 18, 194 votes. 

In Chatra, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Satyanand Bhokta’s daughter-in-law Rashmi Prakash lost to the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) candidate Janardhan Paswan. This seat has seen to be alternating between RJD and BJP since 1995. 

Prior to the Lok Sabha poll and these Assembly elections, several big names from the JMM switched to the BJP - ex-CM Champai Soren, his son Babulal Soren, Sita Soren (wife of JMM chief Shibu Soren’s late son Durga Soren) and ex-CM Madhu Koda’s wife Geetha Koda. Most of them have lost their poll bids. Vice-versa several BJP leaders like Hemlal Murmu (ex-MP from Rajmahal), ex-MLA Janki Prasad Yadav switched to JMM and have managed to win.

Jharkhand Polls

Led by incumbent Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the Opposition coalition comprising of JMM, Congress, RJD and  Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) took on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) comprising of BJP, AJSU, Janata Dal (United) and LJP (Ram Vilas). The election campaign was divisive as BJP accused the JMM-led coalition of thinking about “power and money”, appeasing Muslims and unleashing hooliganism. In response, JMM and Congress accused BJP of hoodwinking voters, misusing Central agencies and vowed to never let Uniform Civil Code and National registry of citizens be implemented in Jharkhand. The State recorded 67.74% turnout in the two phases in which polling was held peacefully, on November 13 and 20. 

Published - November 23, 2024 06:35 pm IST