The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Friday released its fifth list for the assembly polls, announcing former BJP legislator Lois Marandi as its nominee from the Jama seat.

The list contained only the name of Marandi who had defeated Chief Minister Hemant Soren in 2014 from Dumka. She defected from the BJP after not getting ticket and joined the JMM on October 21 along with two other former legislators - Kunal Sarangi and Lakshman Tudu.

Lois Marandi, a former minister, said it was "painful" to part ways with BJP after serving it for 24 years.

"The BJP in 2014 scripted a historic win in Dumka, which was considered a JMM bastion. But it honoured the women who are brought to the party from outside and not those who dedicated their entire life for them," she had said.

In 2014, she defeated Hemant Soren by a margin of 5,262 votes in Dumka but lost to him in 2019 by around 13,000 votes. She lost the 2020 by-election as well to JMM's Basant Soren as the CM vacated the seat to retain Barhait.

The JMM announced a total of 43 candidates for the elections to the 81-seat assembly.

Out of the 43 seats the JMM had contested in the 2019 elections, it won 30 and came second in five constituencies.

Elections to the 81-member house will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20. Counting is scheduled on November 23.

INDIA bloc partners will contest the upcoming assembly polls together, with the Congress and JMM competing for 70 of the 81 seats, while the remaining 11 will be contested by the RJD and Left parties. The RJD had announced candidates for six seats on Tuesday.

In the opposition, the BJP will contest 68 seats, while its allies the AJSU Party will contest in 10 constituencies, the JD(U) in two, and the LJP (Ram Vilas) in one.

In 2019, the JMM-led alliance won 47 seats, wresting power from the BJP. The BJP had secured 25 seats, JVM-P three, AJSU Party two, and the CPI (ML) and NCP one each, besides two Independents emerging victorious.

Filing of nomination papers for 43 assembly constituencies, which are going to polls on November 13 in the first phase, began on Friday and will continue till October 25.

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