The Jharkhand Assembly elections wrapped up with a strong 68.01% voter turnout statewide, while Gandey saw an impressive 73.36% participation. Voting took place from 7 am to 6 pm, marking the conclusion of a significant electoral exercise across the state.

The Gandey Assembly seat in Jharkhand’s Giridih district is once again in the spotlight as political parties gear up for the 2024 state elections. Located in Giridih district of Jharkhand the region has a diverse population, with a large number of tribals and Muslims, both of which play a key role in influencing the election outcome. Historically, the constituency has been represented by various political parties, including the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

In recent years, however, the seat has been a stronghold of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), particularly under the leadership of Kalpana Soren, the wife of Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

Key candidates in the fray

Kalpana Soren (JMM)
Kalpana Soren, the sitting MLA and wife of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, is contesting from Gandey on the JMM ticket. She is seen as a strong contender, having won the seat in a by-election in May 2024 with a comfortable margin of over 27,000 votes. This time, she is facing competition from BJP's Muniya Devi.

Muniya Devi (BJP)
Muniya Devi, a newcomer to mainstream politics, has been fielded by the BJP. Though she is relatively unknown at the state level, Muniya Devi has local political experience as a former District Council member and president of the Jamua Council. She joined the BJP in 2023 and is seen as a fresh face for the party in the region.

Md Aqueel Akhtar (JLKM)
Md Aqueel Akhtar is representing the Jharkhand Loktantrik Congress Morcha (JLKM), but he has a more limited presence in the constituency compared to the top two candidates.

Local issues in Gandey

Bangladeshi infiltration: Several issues are dominating the election discourse in Gandey. One major concern is the alleged Bangladeshi infiltration in the Santhal Pargana region, a claim made by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. He has accused the BJP-led central government of not addressing the issue of illegal immigration, which he believes is affecting the tribal demographic.

Corruption: In addition, there are ongoing allegations of corruption against the Soren government, which the BJP has been using to target the ruling party. Another key point of contention is the monthly cash transfer scheme, a social welfare initiative by the JMM government, which the BJP has criticized as ineffective and a tool for political manipulation.

These issues have added a layer of complexity to the Gandey seat, with both parties looking to appeal to local voters by addressing their concerns.

Electorate size

The total number of voters in the Gandey constituency is 269,330. This includes a mix of male, female, and first-time voters. The state of Jharkhand, in total, has a voter base of 2.59 crore, with a substantial number of first-time voters (18-19 years old). Additionally, the constituency also has a significant number of senior citizens and voters with disabilities, factors that could influence turnout and voting preferences.

Previous election result

In the 2019 election, Dr Sarfaraz Ahmad of JMM won the seat, defeating BJP's Jai Prakash Verma by 8855 votes.

Before this, the seat had seen candidates from the Congress and BJP contesting for the top spot, with JMM now firmly establishing its presence in the area.

Polling booths

For the upcoming election, there will be 350 polling booths set up in Gandey constituency. Across Jharkhand, nearly 30,000 booths will be set up for the 2024 Assembly elections.