Polling begins for 43 seats in 1st phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections

Voting for 43 assembly seats in Jharkhand commenced on Wednesday with a total of 683 candidates trying their luck, including former CM Champai Soren and ex-MP Geeta Kora.

Polling began around 7 AM in these constituencies across 15 districts and will continue till 5 PM.

However, voting in 950 booths will end at 4 pm, though people standing in the queue at that time will be able to exercise their franchise, an official said.

While the JMM-led coalition is seeking to retain power riding on its welfare schemes, including Maiyan Samman Yojna, the BJP has been campaigning with its aggressive Hindutva agenda, infiltration and alleged corruption by the current dispensation.

Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP chief JP Nadda, held several rallies where they attacked the JMM-led coalition over alleged corruption and infiltration.

INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress' Rahul Gandhi, its president Mallikarjun Kharge, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife and legislator Kalpana Soren highlighted welfare schemes and accused the BJP-led Centre of unleashing all the central agencies, including ED, CBI and I-T, against opposition leaders.

A total of 1.37 crore voters are eligible to participate in the voting on November 13.

Altogether 683 candidates - 609 men, 73 women and a third gender person - are in the fray in the 43 seats.

Out of the 43 assembly seats, 17 are reserved for general, 20 for scheduled tribes and 6 seats for scheduled castes.

A total of 15,344 polling stations have been set up for the first phase of elections.

Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar said all preparations for voting have been completed and polling personnel have reached stations.

Mock polls began at 5.30 am, he said.

The responsibility of the entire voting process at 1,152 polling stations will be in the hands of women, Kumar said, adding that 24 booths will be manned by handicapped people.

Since the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, a total of Rs 208.78 crore worth of illegal material and cash has been seized, he said.

Till Tuesday, 58 cases have been registered for violation of the Model Code of Conduct, including a maximum of 29 in Garhwa district.

Both the NDA and INDIA bloc pulled out all the stops to ensure their victories in the elections with BJP focusing on Roti, Beti, Maati' and the INDIA bloc trying to capitalise on suppression of the voice of a tribal CM. PM Modi did a mega road show in Ranchi on Sunday which attracted huge crowds.

As far as key seats are concerned - former CM Champai Soren, contesting on the BJP ticket in Seraikela, faces a challenge from JMM's Ganesh Mahli.

BJP's Geeta Kora, wife of former Chief Minister Madhu Koda will lock horns with Congress' Sona Ram Sinku in Jagannathpur.

Congress veteran Rameshwar Oraon will lock horns with AJSU' Shanti Bhagat in Lohardaga.

In Jamshedpur (West), JD (U) candidate Saryu Roy locked horns with Congress' Banna Gupta.

The second phase of elections will be held on November 20 in the state while the counting of votes will be done on November 23.

In the 2019 assembly elections, the contest was close, with the JMM winning 30 seats and the BJP securing 25, down from 37 in 2014.

The JMM-Congress-RJD alliance won a comfortable majority with 47 seats.

Currently, the strength of the assembly stands at 74, with the JMM-led ruling alliance comprising 26 from the JMM, 17 from Congress, and one from RJD.