RANCHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead a five-kilometer roadshow in Ranchi on November 10, following election rallies at Chandankiyari in Bokaro and Gumla. This marks his second visit to Jharkhand as the BJP aims to consolidate its influence in the state ahead of the Assembly elections. The first phase of polls is set for November 13, the second phase for November 20, and the counting of votes on November 23.
Modi’s roadshow is expected to begin at OTC Ground, moving towards New Market Chowk in Ranchi, an area considered a BJP stronghold. The area is politically significant as it is the constituency of Union Minister of State for Defence and Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth, as well as six-time Ranchi MLA CP Singh. A comprehensive security plan is in place, covering all key points and high-rise buildings along the route.
This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Chandankiyari, where Modi will rally support for BJP candidate Amar Kumar Bauri, the Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly. Chandankiyari has long been a contested seat, with friction between the BJP and its former ally, the AJSU Party. Recent political shifts include former Chandankiyari MLA Umakant Rajak’s defection from AJSU to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, further reshaping local dynamics. Gumla, another key constituency, has BJP’s former Union Minister Sudarshan Bhagat as a candidate. In 2019, the JMM secured Gumla, pushing BJP to adjust its strategy in tribal areas.
Ahead of Modi’s visit, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also address rallies on November 9 in Chhatarpur, Hazaribagh, and Potka. Rahul Gandhi will visit Jharkhand for election rallies on November 8 and 9. Meanwhile, the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI), an offshoot of CPI (Maoist), has resurfaced, putting up posters in Ranchi and Khunti calling for a boycott of the Assembly polls. The PLFI, challenging the police and administration, criticized the government for failing the people and urged citizens to “destroy rule of police administration.”
