The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its second list of candidates for the Jharkhand assembly elections, featuring Gamliyel Hembrom for the Barhait seat to challenge Chief Minister Hemant Soren. In the 2019 elections, Hembrom contested from Barhait on an AJSU Party ticket, finishing fourth with 2,573 votes. The BJP also nominated Vikash Mahto for the Tundi seat.
Hemant Soren, the current Barhait MLA, secured the seat in 2019 with a 25,740-vote margin against BJP’s Simon Malto. Soren won both Dumka and Barhait in December 2019 but chose to retain Barhait.
BJP’s first list, released on October 19, included 66 candidates, with the party fielding candidates in 68 of the 81 seats and leaving the rest for allies. The Election Commission of India has scheduled the elections in two phases on November 13 and November 20, with results to be declared on November 23.
