Ranchi, Oct 16 (IANS): The Jharkhand Party has released a list of five candidates for the upcoming state Assembly elections, with plans to contest 20 seats across the state.

Party president Enos Ekka made the announcement during a press conference held here on Wednesday.

The five candidates include Columbus Hansda (Chaibasa), Mahendra Jamuda (Manoharpur), Ireen Ekka (Simdega), Anil Kumar Paswan (Kanke), and Sandesh Ekka (Kolebira). Ireen Ekka and Sandesh Ekka are the daughter and son of Enos Ekka, the party's president and a former Minister in the Jharkhand government.

Ekka emphasized that the party is open to alliances with other like-minded groups that prioritise Jharkhand’s interests. He also expressed confidence in the Jharkhand Party’s role as a key player in the post-election government.

In another significant development, Rajkumar Munda, the elder son of the late Jharkhand minister Ramesh Singh Munda, officially joined the Jharkhand Party along with his supporters. The event took place at Carnival Banquet Hall in Ranchi. Rajkumar Munda is expected to be the party’s candidate for the Tamar seat, potentially leading to a contest against his brother, current Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA Vikas Munda.

The Tamar constituency holds historical significance, as Jharkhand Party candidate Raja Peter famously defeated the then Chief Minister Shibu Soren in a 2009 by-election, forcing Soren to resign from office.

Founded in 1949, the Jharkhand Party is one of the state’s oldest political organisations, though it has splintered over the years. It was revitalised in the 1970s under the leadership of N.E. Horo, a key figure in the Jharkhand movement.

The Election Commission on Tuesday announced the dates for voting for all 81 Assembly seats in Jharkhand. The voting will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20. The counting of votes is scheduled for November 23. With the announcement of the election dates, the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect in the state.

Of the 81 seats in Jharkhand, nine are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 28 for Scheduled Tribes. In the first phase, elections will be held on 43 seats, while the remaining 38 will vote in the second phase.