BJP Candidate Babulal Soren Fights AI-Generated Misinformation in Ghatshila Elections

Police in Ghatshila have launched an investigation into a case of AI-generated misinformation targeting BJP candidate Babulal Soren during the ongoing assembly elections. Authorities filed an FIR (First Information Report) at the Ghatshila police station on Saturday under multiple sections following complaints about falsified social media content.

The case stems from a formal complaint lodged by Deepak Kumar Mahto, Soren’s election agent, who approached the Election Commission on October 26. According to the complaint, unknown individuals created and distributed an AI-generated Facebook post designed to damage Soren’s reputation among voters in the Ghatshila constituency.

BJP officials have issued strong statements condemning the incident, directly accusing the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) of orchestrating the misinformation campaign. BJP spokesperson Ajay Sah claimed the fake posts were part of a deliberate strategy by political opponents who fear defeat in the constituency.

“Seeing their impending defeat in Ghatshila, JMM has now stooped to the lowest level of politics,” Sah stated. “Through JMM’s IT cell and several fake social media handles sponsored by it, continuous propaganda is being spread against Babulal Soren Ji.”

The BJP further alleged that the posts were designed not only to tarnish their candidate’s image but also to mislead voters and disrupt the electoral process. The party’s statement emphasized that the timing and nature of the misinformation appeared calculated to counter Soren’s reportedly growing public support.

Soren himself has publicly addressed the situation, characterizing the fake content as a desperate measure by opponents to halt his campaign’s momentum. BJP representatives are calling for strict legal action against those responsible for creating and distributing the falsified material.

“People have seen the JMM government’s performance over the past six years, which is why they cannot fight elections on issues of truth and development,” Sah added. “Therefore, they are now trying to confuse the public by weaponizing ‘AI-generated lies’.”

The JMM has firmly denied any involvement in the controversy. Supriyo Bhattacharya, the party’s central general secretary and spokesperson, issued a brief but unequivocal statement: “We have nothing to do with it.”

This incident highlights the growing concern about the use of artificial intelligence to create convincing but false content during election periods. As AI technology becomes more sophisticated and accessible, electoral authorities across India face increasing challenges in monitoring and regulating the spread of digitally manipulated misinformation.

The case in Ghatshila represents part of a wider national trend where deepfakes and AI-generated content have begun to appear in political contests. The Election Commission of India has previously expressed concern about such technologies potentially undermining electoral integrity.

Political analysts note that tribal-dominated constituencies like Ghatshila are particularly sensitive to misinformation campaigns, as community reputations and tribal affiliations play significant roles in voting decisions. The BJP-JMM rivalry in Jharkhand’s tribal regions has intensified in recent years, with both parties competing for support among the state’s significant indigenous population.

As the investigation proceeds, election officials are likely to scrutinize digital forensic evidence to determine the origin of the fake posts. The case may establish important precedents for how electoral authorities handle AI-generated misinformation in future campaigns.

The Ghatshila constituency, located in the East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, has historically been a politically contested region where tribal identity politics and development issues feature prominently in electoral discourse.