Administrator
16 November 2025
The victory of JMM candidate Somesh Chandra Soren in the Ghatsila by-poll,has served an electoral blow to the BJP and showed the rising popularity of the JMM led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The JMM candidate Somesh Chandra Soren defeated BJP's Babu Lal Soren by over 38,000 votes. The victory has come at a time when the state of Jharkhand is celebrating silver jubilee of its foundation in 2000 led by the CM Hemant Soren. Leading the poll campaign, both Hemant and his wife Kalpana Soren led multiple roadshows and rallies, highlighting welfare initiatives such as the Maiya Samman Yojana, which benefits around 29,000 women, and the pension scheme for about 15,000 women above 50 years of age. During the campaign, the Soren couple had attracted huge gathering of Adivasis in Ghatshila and appealed to them to vote for their party JMM’s Babu Lal Soren. Babu Lal is the son of ex-CM Champai Soren, who had parted ways with JMM in August last year and joined the saffron party. Notably, Champai Soren quit as Jharkhand CM when Hemant Soren was granted bail from the prison in an alleged corruption case. While Somesh, a mechanical engineer, believed that his father's legacy and contributions to the constituency would help him cruise through the by-poll, Babu Lal was banking on the "Kolhan Tiger's" goodwill—as his father Champai is known popularly. The defeat of Somesh is indicative of the vanishing popularity of Kolhan Tiger Champai Soren’s popularity among the Adivasis and rise of Dishom Guru and late Shibu Soren’s son and CM Soren and his wife Kalpana Soren. The election was necessitated due to the demise of JMM MLA and former state education minister Ramdas Soren on August 15. JMM picked Somesh, the son of Ramdas Soren, for the Ghatsila by-poll. Last year, Ramdas Soren had won the seat, defeating Babu Lal Soren by over 22,000 votes. Both Babu Lal and Somesh Chandra hailed from the Santhal community, making the contest deeply symbolic within the tribal heartland. Notably, Hemant Soren's government deployed its entire cabinet to campaign in Ghatshila. The Ghatsila seat is reserved for tribal candidates, which the JMM sees as an opportunity to strengthen its support among the community. Around 45% of the voters were tribals, 6% minorities, and the rest belonged to the OBC and general categories.This by-poll was the first electoral test for Hemant Soren since he returned to power last year end. Notably, the result will not have any impact on the JMM government. Already, Hemant Soren has 55 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly. However, the win in the by-election has also served as revenge victory for the JMM against Champai Soren and his family, who had accused them of corruption and lack of development in the tribal-community-dominated state. For the JMM, it was considered as crucial to ensure that Champai Soren does not regain a foothold in the constituency.
The victory of JMM candidate Somesh Chandra Soren in the Ghatsila by-poll has served as an electoral blow to the BJP and showed the rising popularity of the JMM led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
The JMM candidate Somesh Chandra Soren defeated the BJP's Babu Lal Soren by over 38,000 votes.
The victory has come at a time when the state of Jharkhand is celebrating the silver jubilee of its foundation in 2000, led by the CM Hemant Soren.
Leading the poll campaign, both Hemant and his wife, Kalpana Soren, led multiple roadshows and rallies, highlighting welfare initiatives such as the Maiya Samman Yojana, which benefits around 29,000 women, and the pension scheme for about 15,000 women above 50 years of age.
During the campaign, the Soren couple had attracted a huge gathering of Adivasis in Ghatshila and appealed to them to vote for their party, JMM’s Babu Lal Soren.
Babu Lal is the son of ex-CM Champai Soren, who had parted ways with JMM in August last year and joined the saffron party.
Notably, Champai Soren quit as Jharkhand CM when Hemant Soren was granted bail from prison in an alleged corruption case.
While Somesh, a mechanical engineer, believed that his father's legacy and contributions to the constituency would help him cruise through the by-poll, Babu Lal was banking on the "Kolhan Tiger's" goodwill, as his father Champai is known popularly.
The defeat of Somesh is indicative of the vanishing popularity of Kolhan Tiger Champai Soren’s popularity among the Adivasis and rise of Dishom Guru and late Shibu Soren’s son and CM Soren and his wife Kalpana Soren.
The election was necessitated due to the demise of JMM MLA and former state education minister Ramdas Soren on August 15. JMM picked Somesh, the son of Ramdas Soren, for the Ghatsila by-poll.
Last year, Ramdas Soren won the seat, defeating Babu Lal Soren by over 22,000 votes.
Both Babu Lal and Somesh Chandra hailed from the Santhal community, making the contest deeply symbolic within the tribal heartland.
Notably, Hemant Soren's government deployed its entire cabinet to campaign in Ghatshila.
The Ghatsila seat is reserved for tribal candidates, which the JMM sees as an opportunity to strengthen its support among the community.
Around 45% of the voters were tribals, 6% minorities, and the rest belonged to the OBC and general categories. This by-poll was the first electoral test for Hemant Soren since he returned to power last year-end.
Notably, the result will not have any impact on the JMM government. Already, Hemant Soren has 55 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly.
However, the win in the by-election has also served as a revenge victory for the JMM against Champai Soren and his family, who had accused them of corruption and lack of development in the tribal-community-dominated state.
For the JMM, it was considered as crucial to ensure that Champai Soren does not regain a foothold in the constituency.
