Second Phase of Jharkhand Assembly Elections Underway: Voting Begins

Voting for the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections began at 7 AM on Wednesday, covering the remaining 38 seats. Mock polling was conducted earlier on Tuesday evening in areas like Jamtara and Deoghar to ensure smooth operations.

Ahead of the elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to participate actively in this “festival of democracy,” encouraging record voter turnout. He particularly addressed first-time voters, highlighting the significance of their role in strengthening the state. “Today marks the second and final phase of elections in Jharkhand. I urge everyone to participate enthusiastically and create a new record for voter turnout. Special congratulations to the young friends voting for the first time,” PM Modi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The first phase of voting, held on November 13, covered 43 of the total 81 assembly seats.

Key Contestants and Constituencies

This election features a heated contest between the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress alliance and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA, with the BJP striving to unseat Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s government.

In the first phase, notable candidates included BJP’s Champai Soren in Seraikela, Congress leader Ajoy Kumar in Jamshedpur East, and BJP’s Geeta Koda in Jagannathpur, who faced Congress’s Sona Ram Sinku. JMM fielded sitting Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji in Ranchi.

The second phase spotlights several key constituencies:

– Barhait: Chief Minister Hemant Soren (JMM) faces BJP’s Gamliyel Hembrom.
– Dhanwar: BJP’s Babulal Marandi, Jharkhand’s first Chief Minister and outgoing Leader of the Opposition, contests against JMM’s Nizam Uddin Ansari.
– Gandey: Kalpana Soren, wife of Hemant Soren, challenges BJP’s Muniya Devi. Kalpana previously secured victory in a by-poll for this seat earlier this year.
– Jamtara: BJP’s Sita Soren competes for this prominent seat.

As the elections progress, both alliances are striving to secure critical victories to shape Jharkhand’s political landscape.