 "Jharkhand polls: Hemant, Kalpana Soren take early lead in Barhait, Gandey")
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) president and Chief Minister Hemant Soren gained an early lead from the Barhait constituency (ST) as counting began for the Jharkhand Assembly elections on November 23. His opponent, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Galiyel Hembrom, trailed by over 700 votes in the initial trends.
Hemant Soren - a veteran in Barhait politics
Hemant Soren has represented Barhait since 2014. Previously, he won the Dumka assembly seat in 2009 and again in 2019 alongside Barhait but relinquished Dumka in 2020. Soren’s political career includes serving as Jharkhand’s Deputy Chief Minister (2010–2013), Leader of the Opposition (2014–2019), and a Rajya Sabha member (2009–2010).
Earlier this year, Soren stepped down as chief minister following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 31 in connection with a land scam case. During his absence, JMM leader Champai Soren briefly held the position. After securing bail, Soren resumed his role as CM on June 28, 2024. Updates on Jharkhand Election Results 2024
BJP's Galiyel Hembrom trails again in Barhait
BJP’s Galiyel Hembrom is Hemant Soren’s main rival in Barhait. Hembrom, a former teacher, contested on an AJSU-P ticket in 2019, securing just 2,573 votes against Soren’s overwhelming 73,725. He switched to the BJP after his defeat, while BJP’s Simon Malto, who finished second in 2019 with 47,000 votes, did not contest this year.
Kalpana Soren leads in Gandey
Meanwhile, Hemant Soren’s wife, Kalpana Soren, also made an impact. She was leading from the Gandey seat as per 10 am result trends. BJP candidate Muniya Devi trailed behind in early trends.
Kalpana is the face of the ‘Maiya Samman Yojana’, a scheme that offers Rs 2,500 monthly support to women aged 18–50 from marginalised communities. The programme, inspired by similar initiatives in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, seeks to empower women economically.
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In 2019, BJP’s Jai Prakash Verma won Gandey with 48,838 votes (28.9 per cent vote share), defeating JMM’s Salakhan Soren, who garnered 38,559 votes (22.81 per cent).
Jharkhand voting and counting phases
The Jharkhand Assembly elections were held in two phases, on November 13 and November 20. Barhait constituency, a key seat, voted in the second phase. Counting for all constituencies began today, determining the fate of the state’s key political players.