Vishal Kant works as an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times. He tracks developments in Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi government. Vishal has spent about a decade covering the city politics and governance, besides writing on Delhi’s civic issues, urban transport and infrastructure.
Articles by Vishal Kant
BJP releases Jharkhand list; RJD opposes Soren plan
Chief minister Hemant Soren didn't reveal party seat allocations for 2024, but sources say JMM will contest 41 seats, Congress 29, RJD 7, and CPI-ML 4.
Updated on Oct 20, 2024 12:42 AM IST
Jharkhand polls: Soren announces INDIA bloc seat sharing formula; RJD disagrees
Hemant Soren said while the JMM and Congress would contest 70 of the 81 seats, the rest 11 would be distributed among the RJD and the Left parties
Updated on Oct 19, 2024 07:33 PM IST
Jharkhand elections: BJP keeps 68 seats; allies get 13
The announcement was made by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the presence of Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Updated on Oct 19, 2024 03:00 AM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
BJP to contest 68 seats in Jharkhand assembly elections, allies get 13
The BJP will contest the polls in alliance with All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal-United (JDU) and Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas)
Published on Oct 18, 2024 02:14 PM IST
Jharkhand elections: JMM-led alliance, NDA set stage for direct poll contest
The Jharkhand assembly election is a contest between the JMM-led INDIA bloc and BJP-led NDA, with ongoing seat-sharing negotiations complicating matters.
Updated on Oct 16, 2024 06:10 AM IST
Seat-sharing talks with NDA allies for Jharkhand polls almost complete: Sarma
NDA's seat-sharing in Jharkhand is nearly finalized; candidate lists to follow the EC's poll announcement, says Assam CM Sarma.
Updated on Oct 15, 2024 06:40 AM IST
JMM moves EC against BJP’s ‘Gogo Didi Yojna’
A delegation of the JMM, led by general secretary Vinod Pandey, submitted a memorandum to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) K Ravi Kumar and also sought permission to introduce the JMM Samman Yojna and distribute forms for it, as is being done by the BJP.
Updated on Oct 09, 2024 09:55 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Marandi launches ‘Gogo Didi Yojna’ ahead of elections in Jharkhand
Announcing five major poll promises last week, the BJP introduced the Gogo Didi scheme, promising ₹2,100 per month to all women in the state. The party has pledged to transfer money to beneficiaries from the first month after coming to power.
Published on Oct 08, 2024 10:18 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Why can’t Kalpana Soren contest from any ST seat in Jharkhand, asks Himanta
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reacting a question on his Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren’s letter to him, seeking ST status to Jharkhandi tea tribes in the northeastern state
Updated on Sep 28, 2024 12:37 PM IST
Soren writes to Assam chief minister Sarma, seeks ST status for tea tribes
Sarma, who is the BJP’s co-in charge in poll-bound Jharkhand, has been attacking the Soren-led Jharkhand government over issues such as alleged reduction in tribal population
Published on Sep 26, 2024 10:57 AM IST
Soren writes to PM Modi; urges release of pending ₹1.36 lakh cr dues to Jharkhand
Soren reiterated that the state government’s demand detailing the outstanding dues are the state’s rightful demands, adding that these are only for justice and not privileges
Published on Sep 25, 2024 11:59 AM IST
Jharkhand Bar Council files plea in high court against state order banning internet due to JSSC exam
The Jharkhand home department issued an order late Friday night, banning internet services from 8 am to 1:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday to prevent unfair practices during the combined graduate level examination conducted by the JSSC.
Published on Sep 21, 2024 09:57 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Want to contest Jharkhand assembly polls as part of INDIA bloc: CPI
“In the Lok Sabha elections, we had expressed a desire to contest as part of this alliance, but it didn’t work out,” said CPI general secretary D Raja.
Updated on Sep 07, 2024 09:54 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Jharkhand Cabinet lowers age limit for Maiyan Yojna scheme
Briefing about the decisions, cabinet secretary Vandana Dadel said the amendment in the age criteria would cover around 800,000 additional women under the scheme.
Published on Sep 06, 2024 10:04 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
BJP plans ground feedback exercise to pick candidates for Jharkhand polls
The party will soon be finalising the dates for the ‘Raishumaari’ (seeking opinion) with the party workers at the grassroots.
Updated on Sep 04, 2024 09:44 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Hemant Soren meets Kharge, Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, discusses assembly poll strategy
The assembly election in Jharkhand is likely to be held in November along with the state polls in Maharashtra
Published on Sep 03, 2024 04:57 PM IST
Champai Soren joins BJP, cites state tribal identity, spying row as key reasons
Champai, popularly known as Kolhan Tiger, joined the BJP along with his son Babulal Soren at a function organised here in the presence of Union agriculture minister Shivraj Chauhan, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, minister of state (defence) Sanjay Seth, and top Jharkhand BJP leaders.
Published on Aug 30, 2024 09:56 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Ramdas Soren takes oath as member of Hemant cabinet, replaces Champai
Ramdas, among the senior most leaders in JMM at present alongside Stephen Marandi, is expected to be given the portfolios held by Champai Soren.
Updated on Aug 30, 2024 11:33 AM IST
Former J’khand CM Champai Soren to join BJP on Friday
Speculations were rife since August 20, when he publicly criticised his party leadership saying he was removed disrespectfully as CM when he handed over the reins to Hemant Soren on July 3 after a five-month stint in the top post.
Updated on Aug 27, 2024 09:12 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Champai Soren to join BJP on Friday; JMM urges to rethink over move
Speculations were rife since August 20, when he publicly criticised his party leadership saying he was removed disrespectfully as chief minister when he handed over the reins to Hemant Soren on July 3
Published on Aug 27, 2024 08:25 PM IST
Champai Soren meets Amit Shah in Delhi, to join BJP on Aug 30
Champai Soren met union home minister Amit Shah late Monday night in New Delhi along with Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Updated on Aug 27, 2024 07:10 AM IST
Want Champai Soren to join BJP: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Soren had recently said that he was distancing himself from the JMM, which leads the ruling alliance in Jharkhand.
Updated on Aug 26, 2024 02:00 PM IST
Can Champai, the ‘Kolhan Tiger’ eat into JMM vote bank?
With assembly elections in Jharkhand just two months away, Champai Soren’s announcement has ignited a political buzz, prompting experts and politicians to speculate on how his next move could influence the electoral dynamics in the state.
Published on Aug 24, 2024 09:55 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
BJP workers clash with police during protest march in Ranchi, several injured
The BJP workers, led by their top leaders, had gathered at Morhabadi Maidan for the Yuva Akrosh Rally to protest the state government’s alleged failure to fulfil the electoral promise of providing 500,000 government jobs and unemployment allowances to youth.
Published on Aug 23, 2024 10:02 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Champai Soren: Can the ‘Kolhan Tiger’ still roar, and eat into the JMM votebank?
Independent political observers said Soren’s departure could hit the INDIA bloc more if he decides to form his own party.
Published on Aug 23, 2024 07:03 PM IST
Constable murder case: J’khand CM announces ₹1.29 cr, job for victim’s family
On August 11, convicted criminal Shahid Ansari allegedly killed Hembrom at Hazaribag Medical College, where the former was admitted for treatment and the victim was on duty guarding him.
Published on Aug 17, 2024 10:08 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Jharkhand monsoon session: Din over ‘B’deshi infiltration’ drowns second day
Soon after the session began at around 11:10 am, BJP members trooped into the well of the House, demanding the government’s response to the high court’s directive to identify Bangladeshi infiltrators in the Santhal Parganas region and police’s alleged atrocities on tribal students at a hostel in Pakur last week.
Published on Jul 29, 2024 10:04 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Jharkhand assembly monsoon session begins, BJP stages sit-in outside
During the six-day session, likely to be the last session of the fifth assembly, Speaker Rabindranath Mahto said that the first supplementary Budget for 2024-25 will be tabled, and several bills will be presented.
Updated on Jul 26, 2024 09:58 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
BJP will form govt with full majority in Jharkhand: Shah
Addressing BJP workers at the meeting of the extended state executive committee at Prabhat Tara ground, Shah criticised the Hemant Soren government.
Published on Jul 20, 2024 10:05 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
New Hemant Soren govt wins trust vote amid Oppn walkout
A total of 45 MLAs, including nominated member Glen Joseph Galstaun, voted in favour of the confidence motion in the House of 76 members. The opposition votes remained uncounted as the members of the BJP, ally AJSU Party, and the lone MLA of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) walked out as the headcount started.
Published on Jul 08, 2024 09:47 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi