Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Voting is underway for the first phase in Jharkhand’s Assembly elections, covering 43 of the state’s 81 seats. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also contesting in Kerala’s Wayanad as part of a series of by-elections across 10 states.
Top 10 Highlights
- Voter Turnout: Early reports indicate a 13% turnout by 9 am across the 43 assembly seats in Jharkhand.
- By-Elections in 10 States: By-elections are ongoing for 31 assembly seats nationwide, with notable contests including the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala. Reserved seats include four for Scheduled Castes and six for Scheduled Tribes.
- States in Focus: Key by-elections are happening in Rajasthan (7 seats), West Bengal (6), Assam (5), Bihar (4), Kerala (3), Madhya Pradesh (2), and one seat each in Meghalaya, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka. Notably, in Sikkim, two candidates from the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha were declared unopposed winners on October 30.
- Jharkhand Candidates: For today’s election phase, the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has fielded 23 candidates, Congress 17, and RJD five. On the opposition side, BJP has fielded 36 candidates, JD(U) two, and BSP seven.
- Prominent Faces: Key contestants include former Chief Minister Champai Soren and his son Babulal Soren, former CM Arjun Munda’s wife Meera Munda, Madhu Koda’s wife Geeta Koda, and Raghuvar Das’s daughter-in-law Purnima Sahu.
- JMM-led Coalition’s Focus: The ruling coalition seeks re-election, banking on welfare initiatives like the Maiyan Samman Yojana. The NDA’s focus is on tackling alleged infiltration and corruption, citing Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s arrest in a corruption case.
- BJP’s Promises: The BJP has campaigned on driving out infiltrators, implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), providing ₹2,100 monthly aid to women, and generating 5 lakh jobs for youth.
- Star-Studded Campaign: The NDA’s high-energy campaign saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP chief JP Nadda, and UP CM Yogi Adityanath rallying support.
- Past Election Figures: In the 2019 elections, JMM won 30 seats, while BJP’s count fell to 25 from 37 in 2014. The JMM-Congress-RJD alliance secured a majority with 47 seats.
- Next Phases: The second phase of elections in Jharkhand is scheduled for November 20, with vote counting set for November 23.
