In the ongoing elections, Dumka remains a key battleground, with the JMM aiming to retain its stronghold, while the BJP is trying to make inroads into this traditional terrain.

Key contenders in the fray

Basant Soren (JMM)
Basant Soren, sitting MLA from Dumka and son of JMM president Shibu Soren, is seeking re-election. He won the seat in the 2020 by-election, defeating BJP’s Louis Marandi by a margin of over 6,800 votes. Basant is a key member of the JMM leadership and is working hard to ensure that the party retains control over Dumka.

Sunil Soren (BJP)
Sunil Soren, a former BJP MLA, was fielded by the party to challenge the JMM in Dumka. Sunil has a history of defeating members of the Soren family, including JMM president Shibu Soren in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and his son Durga Soren in the 2005 Assembly elections. He is seen as a strong candidate with political experience significant.

Babu Ram Murmu (BSP)
Babu Ram Murmu is running from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), but his impact on the election outcome is expected to be minimal compared to the top two candidates. His participation, however, adds to the multi-cornered contest at Dumka.

Infiltration from Bangladesh
One of the key issues in the region has been the alleged infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals into the tribal areas of Santhal Pargana. BJP leaders, including former chief minister Hemant Soren, have alleged that the state government has failed to address the issue, which they claim is hurting the tribal population.

Allegations of corruption
Another major issue is the corruption charge against the Hemant Soren government. The BJP has accused the JMM of failing to fulfill its promises and of being involved in corruption.

Cash transfer scheme
The monthly cash transfer scheme introduced by the JMM government is also a point of contention. While JMM supporters say it has helped the poor, BJP critics say it is just a populist move to win votes.

Dumka has a total of 2,59,079 voters. The electorate consists of 1,26,903 male voters and 1,32,175 female voters. The tribal population is the largest group in the constituency and this population is crucial in determining the outcome. The area also has a significant number of backward and upper caste voters, making the caste equation important for both major political parties.

Previous election results

The most recent election from Dumka was the 2020 Assembly by-election. In that contest, Basant Soren (JMM) won the seat with 80,559 votes defeating Louis Marandi (BJP) who got 73,717 votes.

In the 2019 Assembly elections, Basant’s elder brother Hemant Soren (JMM) won the seat with 81,007 votes, while BJP’s Louis Marandi came second with 67,819 votes. The NOTA (None of the above) option received 3,665 votes, indicating some level of voter dissatisfaction.

For the upcoming 2024 elections, there will be 236 polling booths in Dumka constituency. Jharkhand as a whole will have nearly 30,000 polling booths for the elections.