RANCHI, Oct. 7 -- The by-election for the Ghatshila assembly seat in East Singhbhum district will be held on November 11, along with the second phase of the Bihar state elections and by-elections in seven other seats across as many states, officials said on Monday. Officials stated that the counting of votes and declaration of the result will be done on November 14. The demise of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislator Ramdas Soren on August 15 at the age of 62 necessitated the bypoll in Ghatshila. A three-term legislator from Ghatshila, a reserved seat for the Scheduled Tribes (ST), Ramdas Soren was the education minister in the Hemant Soren cabinet. Ghatshila will be the first bypoll in the state after the INDIA bloc government led by JMM chief Hemant Soren returned to power last year. Ghatshila has been a stronghold of the ruling INDIA bloc parties, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Congress. Both parties have combined won from the constituency in five out of six elections held for the seat since 2000, when the state was formed. The seat became a stronghold of the JMM, the largest constituent in the ruling front, due to Ramdas Soren, who first emerged victorious in 2009 before registering consecutive wins in 2019 and 2024. The principal Opposition has won the seat only once, in 2014. BJP MLA Laxman Tudu joined the JMM ahead of the 2024 elections after being denied a ticket. However, the by-election is headed for a direct contest once again between the JMM and the BJP candidates....