Jharkhand, December 08: The third of the five-phase elections for 11 seats will be held on Tuesday amid tight security in Jharkhand, with rival parties highlighting the Madhu Koda scam and price rise issues to woo voters in the long drawn campaign in the state.
A total of 25,41,042 voters will exercise their franchise in Hazaribagh, Dhanwar, Bagodar, Jamua, Bermo, Bokaro, Chandankiari, Shikaripara, Dumka, Jama and Jarmundi with the first five seats having Naxal-pockets.
In all 237 candidates, including 115 Independents, are in the fray with Bokaro having maximum of 45 aspirants and Dhanwar registering the minimum with ten candidates.
Former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi is contesting on a Congress ticket from Dumka, while ex-ministers Nalin Soren (JMM-Shikaripara) and Ravindra Rai (BJP-Dhanwar) are the other prominent candidates in the fray.
Elections for 40 of the total 81 seats were completed in the first two phases on 25th November and 2nd December.
The fourth phase is scheduled on 12th December and the fifth and final round of the elections will be held on 18th December.
Results will be announced on 23rd December.
Politicians continue to trade charges on the multi-crore Koda scam and spiralling price rise, and asked voters to cast their vote for stability.
While the Congress termed Koda as a BJP ‘prodigy’, the saffron party alleged that the Congress could not escape accountability as all the UPA allies had ‘tasted madhu (honey)’ during the erstwhile Koda-led government in the state.
Jh’hand polls: Chidambaram asks citizens to vote without fear
Ahead of the third phase of the Jharkhand Assembly polls, Home Minister P Chidambaram has asked voters to come forward and exercise their franchise without fear.
“I would appeal to the voters in Jharkhand to repose confidence in the measures that have been taken and turn out in large numbers to vote and elect candidates of their choice,” Chidambaram said in a statement in New Delhi on Monday.
The Home Minister said the administration in Jharkhand and especially the security forces are geared to ensure that polling takes place in a free, fair and peaceful manner.
The third phase of elections in Jharkhand to 11 Assembly Constituencies will take place on Tuesday.
“I recall with satisfaction that in the first phase the turnout was 53.1 per cent and in the second phase the turnout was 58.8 per cent. This was due to the administrative and security measures taken by the Election Commission. I am confident that the third phase also will witness an impressive turnout,” the Minister said.
“Let us remember that elections constitute the foundation of a democracy and it is important that every voter plays his or her part in strengthening this foundation,” Chidambaram said.
—Agencies