Polling for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections is to be held on Monday with over 8.95 crore voters to decide the fate of candidates in 49 constituencies of 8 states and UTs. Three of the 49 constituencies include Chatra, Koderma and Hazaribag in Jharkhand.
Over 58.22 lakh electors including 28.29 lakh female voters are eligible to cast their vote in these three Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. A total of 54 candidates are in the fray for polls, of which. 22 are contesting from the Chatra, 15 from Koderma and 17 from Hazaribag.
Kalpana Soren trying luck in Gandey assembly by-polls
Apart from the polling in Lok Sabha constituencies, the by-poll for Gandey assembly, with 3.15 lakh voters, is also slated for Monday. Gandey is a hot seat as Kalpana Soren, the wife of jailed former state CM Hemant Soren is contesting the elections. Apart from her 10 more candidates are in the fray.
Gandey assembly seat fell vacant after the resignation of Sarfaraz Ahmad, who was recently elected to Rajya Sabha unopposed. BJP has fielded Dilip Kumar Verma against Kalpana.
Direct fight between BJP and JMM-led alliance
In the contest for all the three Lok Sabha seats, the direct fight is likely between the JMM-led ruling alliance and the BJP-led opposition in Jharkhand.
In the Koderma Lok Sabha seat, Union Minister and BJP candidate Annapurna Devi has locked horns with Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation nominee Vinod Singh, an MLA from Bagodar assembly constituency.
In Hazaribag seat, a direct fight is between the BJP's Manish Jaiswal and Congress' Jai Prakash Bhai Patel, who recently switched from BJP.Both the candidates are currently the MLAs.
Chatra is also heading for a direct contest between BJP’s Kalicharan Singh, who was given ticket instead of sitting MP Sunil Kumar Singh, and Congress's KN Tripathi.
Election Commission prepared to conduct polls
The Election Commission has made arrangements for the proper conduction of the polling. Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) K Ravi Kumar said, "In a bid to conduct free and fair polls, all preparations have almost been completed including the security arrangements.”
The CEO said polling materials and poll parties were air dropped at 65 interior booths through choppers in Chatra and Latehar districts on Saturday. "All polling parties in three constituencies reached their respective destinations by 3 pm today," he said.
Additionally, special training has been provided to poll officials to speed up the process so that long queues of voters could be reduced. Voting will start at 7 am and it will conclude at 5 pm on Monday.
According to the poll body, 6,705 polling stations have been set up across three parliamentary constituencies and the webcasting facility will be available in all polling stations. Of the total polling stations, 73 stations will be managed by women, 13 by persons with disabilities (PwD), 13 by youth and 36 will be unique booths.
(With PTI Inputs)
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