Lok Sabha elections: Jharkhand goes to second phase of polls tomorrow

RANCHI: Six constituencies will go to the polls tomorrow in second of the three-phased Lok Sabha election in Jharkhand.

The six seats are Giridih, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Singhbhum (ST), Khunti (ST) and Hazaribagh. Jharkhand has 14 Lok Sabha seats.

The election in Hazaribagh was originally scheduled for April 10 before being rescheduled to April 17 as the date coincided with Ram Navami festival.

Among 106 candidates, prominent are Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Karia Munda of BJP, Jayant Sinha, son of Jaswant Sinha, former Team India Manager Amitabh Chowdhury of JVM(P), former deputy chief minister, Suresh Mahato of Ajsu party and former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay of Congress.

BJP, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM-Prajatantric) and the Bahujan Samaj Party are contesting from all six constituencies.

Congress has fielded four candidates, CPI two, CPI(M) one, Ajsu party four and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha two. BSP's Durga Oraon opted out of the contest in support for the Congress.

While the BJP has promised special status for Jharkhand if it comes to power, the TMC declared it would implement development programmes akin to West Bengal.

Irrigation, underground fire at Jharia in Dhanbad, employment, jobs, health facilities, roads, electricity and prevention of migration are among the major poll issues in the state.

In a total electorate of 85,18,979, men number 44,48,640. Besides security personnel, the EC has deployed 14 Expenditure Observers and three Police Observers to assist them.