JMM Alliance Dominates Civic Polls Across Jharkhand Municipalities
In a significant political development, candidates backed by the JMM-led alliance have emerged victorious in several key municipal elections across Jharkhand. The alliance secured the mayoral seat in Mango Municipal Corporation (MMC) and chairman positions in Chakradharpur Municipal Council (CMC), Chaibasa Municipal Council (CMC), Chakulia Nagar Panchayat (CNP), and Seraikela Nagar Panchayat (SNP).
Decisive Wins in Mango and Jugsalai
In Mango Municipal Corporation, Congress-supported candidate Sudha Gupta, wife of former health minister Banna Gupta, led by a substantial margin of over 17,000 votes against BJP-supported candidate Sandhya Singh. This polarised election highlighted strong voter support for the alliance in the region.
Meanwhile, in Jugsalai Municipal Council, a tightly contested poll saw Nausheen Khan, wife of state minority commission chairman and JMM leader Hedayatullah Khan, defeat BJP-supported candidate Rinku Singh by 720 votes. Nausheen secured 11,526 votes compared to Rinku's 10,843. Notably, JMM had initially supported Dolly Mallick for the chairman's post, but Hedayatullah clarified that Nausheen's victory represented a win for the party, expressing no complaints.
Victories in Chakulia and Seraikela
The alliance's success extended to Chakulia, where JMM-supported Somwari Soren won the nagar panchayat chairman's post, defeating BJP-supported Chandana Murmu by 727 votes. Somwari polled 3,445 votes against Chandana's 2,718.
In adjoining Seraikela town, JMM-supported candidate Manoj Chaudhary, an academician, defeated BJP-supported Aditya Pratap Singh Deo, a descendant of the Seraikela royal family, to secure the nagar panchayat chairman post. Chaudhary received 1,943 votes, while Aditya garnered 1,494.
BJP Secures Adityapur Amid Alliance Sweep
Despite the alliance's dominance, BJP managed a notable victory in Adityapur, where its supported candidate Sanjay Sadar defeated JMM-supported Bhuglu Soren by 7,616 votes to be elected mayor of the municipal corporation. This win provided a counterpoint to the broader trend favoring the JMM-led coalition.
Wins in West Singhbhum and Chaibasa
In West Singhbhum, Sunny Oraon, son of JMM Chakradharpur MLA Sukhram Oraon, won the Chakradharpur Municipal Council chairman seat, defeating BJP-supported Vijay Singh Gagrai by 1,061 votes. This result underscored the alliance's strength in familial political legacies.
Additionally, JMM-supported Nitin Prakash secured the Chaibasa Municipal Council seat, defeating BJP-supported Ramesh Khirwal by 504 votes, further cementing the alliance's control in the region.
These municipal election outcomes reflect a shifting political landscape in Jharkhand, with the JMM-led alliance demonstrating robust voter support across multiple urban and semi-urban areas, while BJP maintained a foothold in key constituencies like Adityapur.
