Jharkhand Assembly Election:
High-Profile Candidates Compete as Jharkhand Enters First Phase of Elections
In Jharkhand’s first election phase, high-profile candidate like Champai Soren, Banna Gupta and Geeta Koda take center stage as 43 constituencies go to polls, setting the stage for a fierce political battle between the INDIA block and the NDA.
For this phase in Jharkhand, the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has fileded 23 candidates, its allies Congress 17 and Lalu Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal five.
Elections to the 81 member state legislative assembly in Jharkhand began with polling across 43 assembly constituencies on today. The highest voter turnout was in the Simdega seat, at 15.09 per cent , following by Ranchi, at 12.06 per cent and Saraikela-Kharsawan, at 14.62 per cent. Nearly 13.04 per cent voter turnout was recorded until 9 am on today in 43 assembly constituencies.
By-Elections Also Underway in Key Assembly Seats Across India
By- elections are being held on 31 assembly seats across 10 states and Wayanad Lok Sabha seat of Kerala . Four of the assembly seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 6 for Scheduled Tribes.
Security Enhanced as 683 Candidates Contest, Including 73 Women
Election Commission of India (ECI), over 200 security force companies have been stationed at key locations to ensure order and safeguard the electoral process. In this phase, 683 candidates, including 73 women, are competing for seats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party won 25 and congress bagged 16 seats. A coalition of the JMM, Congress, and the RJD formed the government after the last Assembly elections, with Hermant Soren becoming the chief minister.
JMM and Congress Roll Out Major Promises for Tribal and Women’s Rights
The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) promised 33% reservation to women in government jobs, in addition to focusing on nine areas, including education, agriculture and tribal rights. The Congress promised 250 units of free electricity, a caste-based census and the filling up of all vacant government posts within a year. Both parties are part of the INDIA-bloc, which includes the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and CPI(ML).
In Jamshedpur East, Congress candidate Ajoy Kumar is up against Purnima Das Sahu, daughter-in-law for former Jharkhand CM and current Odisha Governor Raghubar Dus and in Jamshedpur west , Congress state health minister Banna Gupta face JD(U) leader Saryu Roy, who defeated then CM Raghubar Dus in 2019.
For 30 years, the empire of a family has been continuing here, against which we are fighting, and we will continue to fight that battle, ” said former IPS officer-turned-politician.
Polling across 43 constituencies will start at 7 am with 15,344 polling station set up across the state. Of 12,716 stations are in rural areas 2,623 in urban centres.
Voting will generate concluded by 5 pm, except at 950 location where polling will end 4 pm.
Election Officials Seize Rs 179.14 Crore in Crackdown on Electoral Violations :
Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar, while speaking to reporters, said that since the Model Code of Conduct came into effect, authorities have seized illegal goods and cash worth Rs 179.14 crore Additional 54 cases of alleged violence have been registered, underscoring the intensity of the election atmosphere.