The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) registered a resounding victory in the Ghatshila Assembly by-election in Jharkhand, with its candidate Somesh Chandra Soren defeating Bharatiya Janata Party’s Babulal Soren by an emphatic margin of more than 35,000 votes.
The verdict has brought a fresh wave of enthusiasm to the JMM camp, reaffirming the party’s strength in one of its traditional bastions.
The counting process, which began at 8 am on Friday at Jamshedpur Co-operative College, set the tone early. As soon as the first round kicked off, Somesh Soren surged ahead with an initial lead of 3,246 votes.
The trend only grew stronger with each round, sending the JMM supporters into spirited celebrations. Party workers waved flags, beat drums, lit crackers, and danced as the numbers decisively favoured their candidate.
Outside the strong room, the atmosphere resembled a festive carnival. The JMM’s tent quickly turned into the focal point of jubilation, while tension and silence gripped the Bharatiya Janata Party enclosure, where leaders anxiously monitored the widening gap but largely avoided public reactions.
“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.
He credited the unwavering support of party workers and the faith of voters for this significant win.
The by-election held emotional and political significance for the ruling party, following the demise of former MLA Ramdas Soren, who had reclaimed the seat for JMM in 2019 and again in 2024 with a margin of over 22,000 votes.
The constituency, historically dominated by the JMM since 2009, had seen only brief BJP success during the 2014 Modi wave.
With this victory, JMM has cemented its position in the region ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. Expressing gratitude, Somesh Chandra Soren thanked voters for their overwhelming support and vowed to work dedicatedly for Ghatshila’s development.
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