28 candidates in fray for bypolls to two Assembly seats in Jharkhand

A total of 28

candidates are in the fray for the November 3 by-elections to two assembly seats in Jharkhand, election officials said on Monday.

Out of 13 nominations for Dumka constituency, one was rejected. So, 12 candidates will contest the seat, District Election Officer cum Deputy Commissioner Rajeshwari B said.

Similarly, in Bermo seat, one nomination was rejected, leaving 16 candidates in the fray for the by-election to the constituency, Bokaro District Election Officer cum Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Singh said.

The by-elections are expected to be a direct contest between the BJP and the ruling JMM-Congress alliance.

The BJP has re-fielded its losing candidates in last year's assembly elections to the two seats.

Former state cabinet minister Lois Marandi, who had lost to JMM candidate and present Chief Minister Hemant Soren in Dumka constituency in the assembly elections, has been fielded again from the seat.

Similarly, Yogeshwar Mahato, who was defeated by Congress nominee Rajendra Prasad Singh last year in Bermo seat, has been given a ticket to the constituency.

Both Marandi and Mahato, however, had earlier won the Dumka and Bermo seats respectively.

The JMM has fielded Soren's younger brother Basant Soren as its candidate for the Dumka seat, while the Congress has given a ticket to Singh's elder son Kumar Jayamangal alias Anoop Singh to the Bermo seat.

By-elections to the two seats were necessitated after Soren vacated Dumka seat and retained Barhait constituency, while Rajendra Prasad Singh died in May.

Votes polled in the two seats will be counted on November 10.