Former CM Babulal Marandi: BJP's Stronghold Against JMM & CPI(ML) In Dhanwar.
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and the state unit president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Babulal Marandi, is contesting the 2024 Assembly election from the Dhanwar constituency. He submitted the nomination papers on October 28, 2024.
He will compete against the Communist Party of India Marxist-Leninist (CPI(ML)) and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidates. Before filing his nomination, Marandi visited his native village Kodaibandh in Giridih district, worshipped at a temple and visited the nearby compatriots.
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He belongs to a Santal family in Kodia Bandh village, Giridih district who holds graduation from Giridih College and post-graduation in Geography from Ranchi University.
Marandi‘s political journey began as a teacher and later as an organiser for the Sangh Parivar. In 1983, he joined the Vishva Hindu Parishad in Santhal Pargana and worked closely with Bishnu Prasad Bhaiya, then became the president of the BJP ‘s Jharkhand unit.
In his early political career, Marandi contested the Dumka Lok Sabha seat in 1991 but lost to Shibu Soren in 1996. However, he defeated Soren in the 1998 elections leading the BJP to win 12 out of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand.
He was the first Chief Minister of Jharkhand who led the NDA government in Jharkhand after the state’s bifurcation from Bihar in 2000. He also, served as Minister of State for Forests and Environment in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance Government from 1998 to 2000. Marandi resigned from the BJP in 2006 and formed Jharkhand Vikas Morcha. However, he merged JVM into BJP on February 17, 2020.
Marandi’s tenure as Chief Minister has proposed developmental initiatives including road network improvements and the proposal for Greater Ranchi (Ranchi Metropolitan Area).
This time, He will be competing as a BJP candidate for the assembly election against Rajkumar Yadav (CPI-ML) and Nizamuddin Ansari (JMM) in a triangular contest. The election is scheduled for November 13 and 20, with the results scheduled for November 23, 2024.
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