J''khand CM Hemant Soren ahead by 12,818 votes in Barhait assembly seat

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday extended his lead to 12,818 votes over BJP’s Gamliyel Hembrom in the Barhait assembly constituency, according to the trends available on Election Commission's website.

In 2019, Soren contested two seats -- Barhait and Dumka -- and won both by a margin of 25,740 and 13,188 respectively.

Later, he vacated Dumka seat from where his brother Basant Soren got elected in the bypoll.

Soren had to resign as the CM shortly before his arrest on January 31 this year by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.

He was released from jail on June 28 after being granted bail by the high court.

On July 3, he was elected as the JMM's legislature party leader.

Champai Soren subsequently submitted his resignation as the CM to the governor, paving the way for Hemant Soren to be sworn in as chief minister for a third time.

CM Soren's wife Kalpana was trailing in Gandey assembly seat by 3,621 votes against her nearest BJP rival Muniya Devi after the fifth round of counting, according to the Election Commission.

Kalpana had won the seat in a bypoll on June 4 this year after it fell vacant following the resignation of JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad.

She had defeated BJP’s Dilip Kumar Verma by a margin of 27,149 votes.

Kalpana had embarked on a political journey during the 51st foundation day celebration of JMM in Giridih district on March 4 this year.

Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi was leading by 10,607 votes over CPI(ML)'s Rajkumar Yadav in Dhanwar assembly seat after the fifth round of counting, according to the Election Commission of India.

Marandi won the Dhanwar seat in the 2019 assembly polls as a Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) candidate by defeating BJP's Lakshman Prasad Singh by a margin of 17,550 votes.

Later, he joined the BJP.

The JMM, Congress, RJD and CPI (ML) Liberation are jointly contesting Jharkhand polls under the INDIA bloc.