Dhanwar’s high-stakes battle: Can Babulal Marandi defend his turf?

Mail News Service

Ranchi, Oct 27: The Dhanwar Assembly constituency in Jharkhand has become a focal point for the 2024 state elections, with one pressing question on everyone’s mind: will BJP state president Babulal Marandi maintain control over his home seat, or will opposition parties successfully challenge his stronghold? Traditionally a Congress-dominated area, Dhanwar has seen its political alignment shift over the years, with BJP currently holding the seat.

BJP has once again fielded Marandi, who previously won as a JVM candidate before merging his party with BJP and taking on the role of state president. This seat in Giridih district has a varied political history. In 2000 and 2005, BJP’s Ravindra Kumar Rai held the seat, but in 2009, JVM’s Nizamuddin Ansari won. The CPI(ML) claimed victory in 2014 through Rajkumar Yadav, before Marandi secured it in 2019 for JVM, which later aligned with the BJP. This time, in a highly competitive race, JMM, Congress, RJD, and CPI(ML) are strategically joining forces to challenge Marandi’s dominance, with CPI(ML) also fielding a separate candidate alongside JMM.

The constituency’s significance was reinforced in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when BJP’s Annapurna Devi, now a Union Minister, led by a margin of 44,000 votes against CPI(ML)’s Vinod Kumar Singh. This outcome bolstered BJP’s position in Dhanwar, and the party now aims to replicate its success in the assembly polls, where the stakes remain high for Marandi and Devi alike.

Dhanwar’s Recent Assembly Election Winners:

• 2000– Ravindra Kumar Rai (BJP)
• 2005– Ravindra Kumar Rai (BJP)
• 2009– Nizamuddin Ansari (JVM)
• 2014– Rajkumar Yadav (CPI-ML)
• 2019– Babulal Marandi (JVM)

With Dhanwar now deemed a “hot seat,” the contest is set to be one of Jharkhand’s most electrifying electoral battles.