Confusion reigns among BJP leaders in Kolhan over ticket distribution

Champai from Seraikela, Babulal from Ghatsila: Where will Ganesh, Ramesh, and Laxman contest?

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Oct 15: The BJP high command in Kolhan is facing a tough time over ticket distribution ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. Champai Soren, who recently joined BJP after a long association with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), is almost certain to get a ticket from Seraikela. However, confusion reigns over who will contest from Kharsawan, with several leaders vying for the seat.

Ganesh Mahali, who has been a BJP candidate twice, has staked his claim to the Kharsawan seat, but he is not alone. The list of contenders is long, and the party leadership is grappling with whom to choose. Mahali, who has been a formidable challenger to Champai in previous elections, now finds himself in an uncertain position with Champai on his side.

Adding to the confusion, there is no clarity about Ramesh Hansda’s future in the BJP. Hansda, a former JMM district president, left his old party due to personal enmity with Champai and joined BJP in hopes of securing a ticket from Seraikela. Now, with Champai becoming a part of BJP, Hansda’s aspirations are uncertain. Similarly, Laxman Tudu, who contested from Ghatsila in previous elections, faces uncertainty about getting a ticket this time around. Despite being a sitting MLA, Tudu’s ticket was cut in the last election, and BJP ended up losing the seat. This time, Champai’s son Babulal Soren is being seen as a strong contender for the Ghatsila ticket.

Champai Soren’s shift to BJP has changed the political landscape of Kolhan, especially in Seraikela, which has been his stronghold for the last four elections. Although Champai has consistently won from Seraikela under the JMM banner, his victories have often been narrow. In 2014, he defeated Ganesh Mahali by a margin of just 1,115 votes, and in 2019, the gap widened slightly to 15,667 votes. Despite these wins, Champai has never enjoyed an easy victory in the constituency.

Now, with Champai joining BJP, the party faces a new challenge: how to reconcile his entry with the leaders he once fought against. BJP veterans like Ganesh Mahali and Laxman Tudu, who had been preparing to contest from Seraikela, are left wondering how their roles will change. These leaders, who once campaigned fiercely against Champai, may now have to support him as he becomes a key figure in BJP’s Kolhan strategy.

The political equations have shifted drastically in Seraikela. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the vote dynamics changed when JMM’s Singhbhum candidate Joba Majhi fell behind BJP’s Geeta Koda by 20,285 votes from the Seraikela assembly segment. This happened despite Champai Soren being the Chief Minister at the time. In that election, BJP candidate Geeta Koda secured 1,18,773 votes from Seraikela, while the India Alliance candidate managed 98,488 votes.

The entry of Champai Soren into the BJP fold has caused unease among JMM leaders who were once close to him. Many are in a “wait-and-watch” mode, unsure whether to follow him to BJP or remain in JMM. The JMM district president of Seraikela, Dr. Shubhendu Mahato, stated that JMM is not worried about leaders leaving the party, emphasizing that JMM has a strong training system in place to prepare new leaders. According to Mahato, the departure of individuals will not affect the party’s strength in the region.

As the election draws closer, the political dynamics of Kolhan are set for further twists and turns, especially in the hotly contested seats of Seraikela and Ghatsila. (w/nkm)