Administrator
23 October 2025
*Sitting on top of Scorpio are ( Left to Right) JLKM chief Jairam Kumar Mahato, MLA and Ramdas Murmu.
The Ghatsila Assembly constituency in Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district will witness a three-cornered contest in the bypoll next month as MLA Jairam Kumar Mahato-led JLKM has fielded its candidate for the constituency, while the BJP and the ruling JMM have fielded their nominees.
JLKM reposed faith in Ramdas Murmu, who had finished third in the 2024 Assembly poll from the same Ghatsila seat, bagging only 8092 votes, as its candidate.
The BJP-led NDA nominated Babulal Soren, the son of former Chief Minister Champai Soren, while Somesh Soren, son of late minister Ramdas Soren, is in the fray as a JMM candidate.
The triangle battle took a turn with campaigning reaching a new high on Wednesday when Kurmi-Mahato leader and the sole MLA of Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha ( JLKM ) from Dumri, Jairam Mahato and his party candidate Ramdas Murmu were caught in legal hassles triggered by their own self-exposed “act”.
Mahato and Murmu allegedly violated election rules by sitting on top of a Scorpio vehicle while interacting with voters during their electoral campaign in the Ghatsila by-election campaign.
This caught the attention of the viewers as well as the authority, who dubbed it as a breach of safety regulations.
The Deputy Commissioner of East Singhbhum district in Jharkhand, Karn Satyarthi, who is also the District Election Officer, shared their picture on social media, and said that campaigning from the top of a four-wheeler is a violation of prescribed safety norms.
The DC cum DEO has issued a notice to the concerned political party JLKM and its candidate Murmu and sought his reply within 24 hours.
Incidentally, failure to respond satisfactorily may invite legal action under the law.
According to the Election Commission guidelines, standing or sitting atop vehicles during campaigning is prohibited, as it poses risks to public safety and may disrupt law and order.
Observers are now awaiting Mahato’s response and the subsequent action from the administration.
