Vishal Kant
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
WB Assembly elections: Hemant campaigns for TMC, appeals voters to defeat ‘divisive’ BJP
By Vishal Kant, Ranchi
PUBLISHED ON MAR 24, 2021 10:15 PM IST
Chief minister and working president of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Wednesday campaigned for Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidates across three assembly segments in Purulia and Bankura districts in West Bengal and appealed the voters to defeat the “divisive” Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) as voters did in Jharkhand in the 2019 Assembly polls
State will recommend SC to remove 50% cap on reservation: CM Soren
By Vishal Kant, Ranchi
PUBLISHED ON MAR 19, 2021 10:24 PM IST
The Jharkhand government will inform the Supreme Court that the state was a votary to remove the 50% cap on reservation in government jobs to those belonging to Scheduled Tribe (ST), Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Categories (OBC), chief minister Hemant Soren (CM) said on Friday
‘Jharkhand would recommend SC to remove 50% cap on reservation’: CM
By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON MAR 19, 2021 09:58 PM IST
Jharkhand is the second state after Rajasthan which would ask the Supreme Court to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservation in government jobs.
Former Jharkhand minister Haji Ansari’s son inducted in Hemant Soren cabinet
By Vishal Kant, Ranchi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 05, 2021 01:40 PM IST
- Hemant Soren decided to induct Haji Ansari’s son, who is not yet a member of the Jharkhand legislative assembly, as the 10th member of his cabinet.
Former Jharkhand minister Haji Ansari’s son to be inducted in Hemant cabinet
By Vishal Kant | Edited by Abhinav Sahay, Ranchi
UPDATED ON FEB 05, 2021 10:02 AM IST
- By-election for Madhupur assembly seat is likely to be held next month and Hafizul was considered a front runner for the seat.
‘Not getting GST dues, even BJP-ruled states unhappy’: Hemant Soren
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON DEC 28, 2020 04:40 PM IST
Despite the talk about cooperative federalism, Soren, citing his experience as CM over the past year, said that the relationship between the Centre and the state is not healthy
Jharkhand by-polls: 3rd member of Soren family elected in a ruling alliance show
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant | Edited by Abhinav Sahay
UPDATED ON NOV 10, 2020 08:53 PM IST
Sita Soren, wife of late Durga Soren, eldest son of Shibu Soren, represents Jama seat in the Jharkhand assembly. JMM chief Shibu Soren is currently a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Jharkhand by-polls: BJP eyes to wrest Dumka, Bermo from ruling JMM, Congress
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON NOV 02, 2020 11:56 PM IST
The by-election on two seats was necessitated as chief minister Hemant Soren vacated Dumka assembly after registering victory from two seats and retained Barhait. Bermo fell vacant after veteran Congress legislator Rajendra Prasad Singh died of illness in May.
Jharkhand rejects Centre’s loan offer in lieu of GST compensation
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
PUBLISHED ON OCT 17, 2020 06:27 AM IST
A statement issued by chief minister Hemant Soren’s office said the central government was trying to trap the Jharkhand government to increase borrowings from markets in the times of economic instability.
Jharkhand rejects Centre’s loan offer in lieu of GST compensation
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON OCT 16, 2020 09:19 PM IST
As per the state government, the Centre currently owes around Rs 3300 crore as GST dues to the Jharkhand government.
Now, BJP accused of ‘luring’ Jharkhand MLAs, saffron party says govt hiding failures
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant | Edited by Abhinav Sahay
UPDATED ON JUL 15, 2020 09:52 PM IST
Jharkhand Congress president alleged BJP had tried to lure Congress MLAs with money during the RS polls in the state.
JMM chief, BJP candidate win 2 Jharkhand seats
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON JUN 20, 2020 07:02 AM IST
The ruling JMM has 29 legislators in the assembly while the BJP 26 and Congress 15. The All Jharkhand Students Union Party’s two and as many independent lawmakers also voted for Prakash.
JMM’s Shibu Soren and BJP’s Deepak Prakash win Rajya Sabha polls from Jharkhand
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant | Posted by Abhinav Sahay
UPDATED ON JUN 19, 2020 10:07 PM IST
With the win on Friday, BJP now has four Rajya Sabha members from Jharkhand.
Jharkhand extends lockdown by 2 weeks, will not implement Centre’s relaxations
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON MAY 03, 2020 07:06 PM IST
Chief minister Hemant Soren announced the decision after a high-level meeting at the state secretariat on Sunday.
Blood shortage for Thalassemic children in Jharkhand looms during Covid lockdown
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON APR 23, 2020 05:16 PM IST
Life Savers have only managed to get 248 units of blood through six outdoor donation drives since the lockdown started.
Late surge of positive covid cases mark first leg of lockdown in Jharkhand
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
PUBLISHED ON APR 15, 2020 06:19 PM IST
As per the latest official data, the number of positive cases stand at 24, of which two persons have died — one each in Ranchi and Bokaro.
Decision on financial aid to people after lockdown gets over: Oraon
By Vishal Kant, Ranchi
UPDATED ON APR 05, 2020 06:33 AM IST
Jharkhand cabinet expanded, 7 take oath as ministers
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant, Ranchi
UPDATED ON JAN 29, 2020 07:51 AM IST
Besides the chief minister, the state could have 11 ministers. Hence, one berth is still vacant in the cabinet.
Hemant Soren’s swearing-in set to be Opposition’s show of strength
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Vishal Kant
PUBLISHED ON DEC 28, 2019 12:55 AM IST
Congress leaders Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, Nationalist Congress Party’s Sharad Pawar, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and her Maharashtra and Delhi counterparts Uddhav Thackeray and Arvind Kejriwal will attend the event.
Galaxy of opposition leaders to attend Hemant Soren’s swearing-in
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON DEC 27, 2019 09:59 PM IST
Their presence on a common stage gains significance in the context of protests that have taken place against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Hemant Soren, 44, set for second term on a stronger footing
Hindustan Times, Ran | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON DEC 24, 2019 09:39 AM IST
He had to compete with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) star campaigners, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah.
Jharkhand Election Results 2019: Hemant Soren, JMM’s GenNext, hopes to make his mark in Jharkhand
Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON DEC 23, 2019 10:56 AM IST
Jharkhand Assembly Results 2019: JMM, Congress and RJD contested the 2019 assembly election in alliance against the ruling BJP-JAUS combine. While the JMM contested 43 seats, Congress contested 31 and the RJD in the rest seven.
Raghubar Das: First non-tribal chief minister of state eyeing second term
Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON DEC 23, 2019 10:20 AM IST
CM Raghubar Das, heading a coalition of the BJP and AJSUP, holds the distinction of being the first non-tribal to have held the coveted post in Jharkhand, where tribals make the single-biggest chunk of voters.
Jharkhand Assembly Election 2019 Results: All eyes on verdict, counting begins at 8 am
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON DEC 23, 2019 07:28 AM IST
In the 19-year-old state, carved out of Bihar in 2000, political uncertainty and fractured mandates marked elections till 2014.
People are determined to vote for a change in state, says JMM’s Hemant Soren
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON DEC 11, 2019 05:30 AM IST
JMM working president and the chief ministerial face Hemant Soren (44) has emerged as the main campaigner for the JMM, Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (JDF) alliance in Jharkhand assembly elections.
Jharkhand Assembly Election 2019: BJP going solo for first time in state
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant, Ranchi
PUBLISHED ON NOV 22, 2019 02:15 PM IST
Jharkhand Assembly Election 2019: The BJP on Wednesday night announced candidates for seven more seats, thus declaring nominees for 79 assembly seats in the 81-member assembly, besides declaring support for one independent in Hussainabad seat.
Balmuchu joins AJSU, third ex-Congress Jharkhand president to desert party in 2 months
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON NOV 15, 2019 06:29 AM IST
Speaking to reporters after joining the AJSU Party in presence of its president Sudesh Mahto, Balmuchu said his decision is guided by his effort to save his ‘rajnaitik zameen’ (political support base).
JMM, Congress, RJD join hands for Jharkhand assembly polls
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON NOV 11, 2019 07:25 AM IST
The Congress and the JMM announced that the leader of the opposition in the outgoing assembly, Hemant Soren of the JMM, will be projected as the alliance’s chief ministerial face.
Jharkhand assembly polls: JVM-P to go solo, Cong in damage-control mode to save grand alliance
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON NOV 04, 2019 10:14 PM IST
The JVM-P was part of the opposition alliance and contested two of the 14 Lok Sabha seats. However, Babulal Marandi, the first chief minister of Jharkhand, has now called a two-day meet on November 5 and 6 for scrutiny of candidates for all the seats.
Rameshwar Oraon takes charge as Jharkhand Congress chief; will he be able to rein in warring camps?
Hindustan Times, Ranchi | By Vishal Kant
UPDATED ON AUG 27, 2019 01:05 PM IST
Rameshwar Oraon has served as the minister of state for tribal affairs in the first term of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. He also headed the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) for two terms from 2010 onwards.