New Delhi:
Counting of votes for the 81-member Jharkhand assembly will be taken up on Wednesday to decide the fate of 1489 candidates who contested the five-phase elections from November 25 to December 18. Here is the list of key constituencies which faced the ballot.
Ranchi:This constituency has been a BJP bastion since 1980 withsitting MLA C P Singh winning the seat three times in succession.Praveer Tulsayan is the Congress candidate from Ranchi assemblyconstituency. Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahay has thrown his lotbehind Pradeep Tulsyan. Rajnath Singh, Lalu Prasad and Shibu Soren wereother top leaders of who campaigned for this assembly seat.
Jagannathpur: All eyes will be on Jagannathpur from where former chiefminister Madhu Koda's wife Geeta Koda is contesting for the first time.Jagannathpur assembly seat was earlier represented by her husband Koda.With the former chief minister in jail on corruption charges, the homemaker-turned-politician is now in-charge of the electoral battle notonly for her but also for all other candidates fielded by Koda.
Jamshedpur (East): There are 15 candidates in the fray for the Jamshedpur (East) assembly constituency, which went to the polls in the first phase. Congress supported JVM (D) candidate Abhay Singh is contesting against state BJP president Raghuvar Das, who is contesting for the fourth successive term. However, BJP state vice-president-turned-rebel candidate Madhulika Mehata, the only woman candidate in the fray, may register a win for the Saffron party.
Official JMM candidate Pramod Lal is not expected to cause much damage to opponent BJP, for rebel JMM candidate Anand Bihari Dubey is strong enough to make a dent to non-tribal votes, particularly, Bihari votes of the party.
Jugsalai: This assembly seat is reserved for the Scheduled Caste candidates. Jugsalai is witnessing a different scene altogether. There are 11candidates in the fray, with three big political parties--Congress, BJP and RJD-- giving tickets to woman candidates. Congress nominee Ritika Mukhi, BJPs Rakhi Rai along with RJDs Sharda Devi have contested against outgoing JMM legislator Dulal Bhuiyan, who is representing the seat in Jharkhand assembly for the last three terms.
In the last assembly election, Dulal defeated then BJP candidate Haradhan Das by a narrow margin of over 3000 votes and in this election, Haradhan has turned a rebel fighting as an Independent.
Pakur:This assembly constituency comes under Rajmahal (ST) parliamentary constituency which comprises of six assembly segments whose area is extended up to Sahibganj, Dumka, and Godda and Pakur districts. At Pakur, former BJP district president and MLA Beni Prasad Gupta is trying his luck against official nominee Babloo Bhagat.
Tamar:The Naxal-dominated Tamar constituency came to light after killing of Janata Dal (United) MLA Ramesh Singh Munda by ultras of banned CPM in broad daylight more than a year ago. The constituency was in national headline when Jharkhand party candidate Raja Peter alias Gopal Krishna Patar defeated then Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren in the by-election to Tamar assembly constituency early this year.
It was Peter's victory from this constituency which forced Guruji to resign from his post paving way for President's Rule in the state which lasted for nine months.
In the present assembly election, Peter, who was earlier a Jharkhand party candidate, has shifted to the Janata Dal (United) advocating the developmental model of JD (U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Besides Peter, other prominent candidates in the fray were former Ranchi University Vice-Chancellor Ram Dayal Munda and Nishikant Oraon of the JMM.
Gomia: Altogether 22 candidates, including former MLA Chatru Ram Maho, were in the fray. Mahto, who has represented this constituency five times, was denied ticket by the BJP. He is now a JMM nominee from this assembly constituency. Other candidates include, former minister in erstwhile NDA government Jitendra Kumar Mahto of the BJP, and Madhavlal Singh of Congress party. Former chairman of Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board Tileshwar Sahu has fielded his wife Sabi Devi as an Independent candidate from this seat.
Koderma: This constituency is known as the mica capital of India. Koderma is the district town of Jharkhand and is well known for rich mica deposits. Sitting RJD MLA Annapurna Devi is locking horns with Ramesh Singh of the Congress party with support from Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (Prajatantrik). JVM (P) president Babulal Marandi represents Koderma seat in the Lok Sabha.
Silli: All Jharkhand Student's Union president and former home minister of the state Sudesh Mahto, who earned the distinction to enter the state assembly at the age of 25 years, is in the fray from this constituency. Besides Mahto, Congress party nominee, who earlier represented this assembly constituency, Keshav Mahto Kamlesh, is making all efforts to get his seat back.
Barhi: Senior Congress leader Manoj Yadav is fighting to retain the seat for fourth time against Umashankar Akela of the BJP. Akela lost last election to Yadav with a margin of about 2500 votes.
Dumri:In this constituency, altogether 22 candidates are in the fray, including Jagarnath Mahto of the JMM trying to retain the seat against JD (U) nominee Damodar Prasad Mahto and Independent Lalchand Mahto.
Giridih: Sitting JMM MLA Munna Lal, who was denied party ticket, is contesting as an Independent candidate. The JMM reposed its faith in Sudiya Sonu for the seat. The BJP has fielded former minister Chandra Mohan Prasad while JVM (P) has made Nirbhaya Shahbadi as party nominee.
Khijri: The Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Ram Kumar Pahan against the Congress candidate Sawna Lakra. The seat was lying vacant after Karia Munda was elected to the Lok Sabha.
Mandu: This assembly constituency is likely to witness a triangular contest among JMM's Teklal Mahto, Congress' Kumar Mahesh and sitting JD (U) MLA Khiru Ram Mahto. About 21 candidates are in the fray in this Kurmi-dominated seat.
Dumka: It will be a tough challenge for the Dumka district administration to conduct a violence free poll in this constituency, as there is every possibility of Maoists resorting to violence that day.
The CPM has already made its intention clear by putting up posters on roads, bridges and government buildings, asking people to boycott the polls, saying both assembly and Parliament were the main sources of corruption. Maoists have demonstrated their presence in the wider area, which has become a serious concern particularly after the poster move. The outfit has been involved in the killing of three policemen besides eight others, including police informers, during the last three years.
Bokaro: It is largest constituency of Jharkhand (electorate-wise) with 442,947 electors. Out of total 237 candidates, including 115 Independents, the maximum of 45 aspirants are in fray from Bokaro seat. Displaced population forms a very important part of the electorate in this industrial city. It is the home of the largest steel plant in India, and several other medium and small industries.
Hussainabad: This will be another seat to watch. Koda's ex-Cabinet colleague Kamlesh Kumar Singh, also facing corruption charges, is contesting from this seat. He had won the last elections by a slender margin of 35 votes from the same constituency. Dashrath Kumar Singh of the Janata Dal (United) and Upendra Singh of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are also in the fray.
Chatra:The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has given ticket to Subedar Paswan and has shifted sitting MLA Satyanand Bhokta to Simaria. Besides Paswan, others in the fray from Chatra are Sahindra Ram from the Congress party, Suresh Das from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Janardan Paswan from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Chatra is considered the gateway to Jharkhand and has a rich historical heritage.
The historic records related to the city date back to Ashokan times. More than 60 per cent of the area of this district is covered by forest and has scattered settlement patterns.
Chaibasa: This constituency is likely to witness a straight fight between politicians of two different generations. Congress veteran and former MP Bagun Sumbrai will take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) greenhorn Manoj Liyangi in the fifth and last round of voting on December 18. Sitting BJP MLA Putkar Hembrom has been denied ticket this time. Others in the fray include Dipak Birua of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Ghanshyam Gagrai of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Daltonganj: Dilip Singh Namdhari, son of former Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari, is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Daltonganj assembly constituency of Jharkhand. Anil Kumar Chourasia, who remained the second runner up in previous assembly elections held in 2005, is a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) nominee. Others in the fray include K N Tripathi of the Congress party, Gyanchand Pandey of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Santosh Kumar from Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
Garwah: Sitting Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Girinath Singh is engaged in electoral battle with Mithilesh Thakur of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Alakhnath Pandey of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Satyendranath Tiwary of JVM (Prajatantrik), supported by the Congress party.
Girinath Singh had been representing this seat in undivided Bihar. His father Gopinath Singh had also represented this assembly constituency.
Ranchi:This constituency has been a BJP bastion since 1980 withsitting MLA C P Singh winning the seat three times in succession.Praveer Tulsayan is the Congress candidate from Ranchi assemblyconstituency. Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahay has thrown his lotbehind Pradeep Tulsyan. Rajnath Singh, Lalu Prasad and Shibu Soren wereother top leaders of who campaigned for this assembly seat.
Jagannathpur: All eyes will be on Jagannathpur from where former chiefminister Madhu Koda's wife Geeta Koda is contesting for the first time.Jagannathpur assembly seat was earlier represented by her husband Koda.With the former chief minister in jail on corruption charges, the homemaker-turned-politician is now in-charge of the electoral battle notonly for her but also for all other candidates fielded by Koda.
Jamshedpur (East): There are 15 candidates in the fray for the Jamshedpur (East) assembly constituency, which went to the polls in the first phase. Congress supported JVM (D) candidate Abhay Singh is contesting against state BJP president Raghuvar Das, who is contesting for the fourth successive term. However, BJP state vice-president-turned-rebel candidate Madhulika Mehata, the only woman candidate in the fray, may register a win for the Saffron party.
Official JMM candidate Pramod Lal is not expected to cause much damage to opponent BJP, for rebel JMM candidate Anand Bihari Dubey is strong enough to make a dent to non-tribal votes, particularly, Bihari votes of the party.
Jugsalai: This assembly seat is reserved for the Scheduled Caste candidates. Jugsalai is witnessing a different scene altogether. There are 11candidates in the fray, with three big political parties--Congress, BJP and RJD-- giving tickets to woman candidates. Congress nominee Ritika Mukhi, BJPs Rakhi Rai along with RJDs Sharda Devi have contested against outgoing JMM legislator Dulal Bhuiyan, who is representing the seat in Jharkhand assembly for the last three terms.
In the last assembly election, Dulal defeated then BJP candidate Haradhan Das by a narrow margin of over 3000 votes and in this election, Haradhan has turned a rebel fighting as an Independent.
Pakur:This assembly constituency comes under Rajmahal (ST) parliamentary constituency which comprises of six assembly segments whose area is extended up to Sahibganj, Dumka, and Godda and Pakur districts. At Pakur, former BJP district president and MLA Beni Prasad Gupta is trying his luck against official nominee Babloo Bhagat.
Tamar:The Naxal-dominated Tamar constituency came to light after killing of Janata Dal (United) MLA Ramesh Singh Munda by ultras of banned CPM in broad daylight more than a year ago. The constituency was in national headline when Jharkhand party candidate Raja Peter alias Gopal Krishna Patar defeated then Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren in the by-election to Tamar assembly constituency early this year.
It was Peter's victory from this constituency which forced Guruji to resign from his post paving way for President's Rule in the state which lasted for nine months.
In the present assembly election, Peter, who was earlier a Jharkhand party candidate, has shifted to the Janata Dal (United) advocating the developmental model of JD (U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Besides Peter, other prominent candidates in the fray were former Ranchi University Vice-Chancellor Ram Dayal Munda and Nishikant Oraon of the JMM.
Gomia: Altogether 22 candidates, including former MLA Chatru Ram Maho, were in the fray. Mahto, who has represented this constituency five times, was denied ticket by the BJP. He is now a JMM nominee from this assembly constituency. Other candidates include, former minister in erstwhile NDA government Jitendra Kumar Mahto of the BJP, and Madhavlal Singh of Congress party. Former chairman of Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board Tileshwar Sahu has fielded his wife Sabi Devi as an Independent candidate from this seat.
Koderma: This constituency is known as the mica capital of India. Koderma is the district town of Jharkhand and is well known for rich mica deposits. Sitting RJD MLA Annapurna Devi is locking horns with Ramesh Singh of the Congress party with support from Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (Prajatantrik). JVM (P) president Babulal Marandi represents Koderma seat in the Lok Sabha.
Silli: All Jharkhand Student's Union president and former home minister of the state Sudesh Mahto, who earned the distinction to enter the state assembly at the age of 25 years, is in the fray from this constituency. Besides Mahto, Congress party nominee, who earlier represented this assembly constituency, Keshav Mahto Kamlesh, is making all efforts to get his seat back.
Barhi: Senior Congress leader Manoj Yadav is fighting to retain the seat for fourth time against Umashankar Akela of the BJP. Akela lost last election to Yadav with a margin of about 2500 votes.
Dumri:In this constituency, altogether 22 candidates are in the fray, including Jagarnath Mahto of the JMM trying to retain the seat against JD (U) nominee Damodar Prasad Mahto and Independent Lalchand Mahto.
Giridih: Sitting JMM MLA Munna Lal, who was denied party ticket, is contesting as an Independent candidate. The JMM reposed its faith in Sudiya Sonu for the seat. The BJP has fielded former minister Chandra Mohan Prasad while JVM (P) has made Nirbhaya Shahbadi as party nominee.
Khijri: The Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Ram Kumar Pahan against the Congress candidate Sawna Lakra. The seat was lying vacant after Karia Munda was elected to the Lok Sabha.
Mandu: This assembly constituency is likely to witness a triangular contest among JMM's Teklal Mahto, Congress' Kumar Mahesh and sitting JD (U) MLA Khiru Ram Mahto. About 21 candidates are in the fray in this Kurmi-dominated seat.
Dumka: It will be a tough challenge for the Dumka district administration to conduct a violence free poll in this constituency, as there is every possibility of Maoists resorting to violence that day.
The CPM has already made its intention clear by putting up posters on roads, bridges and government buildings, asking people to boycott the polls, saying both assembly and Parliament were the main sources of corruption. Maoists have demonstrated their presence in the wider area, which has become a serious concern particularly after the poster move. The outfit has been involved in the killing of three policemen besides eight others, including police informers, during the last three years.
Bokaro: It is largest constituency of Jharkhand (electorate-wise) with 442,947 electors. Out of total 237 candidates, including 115 Independents, the maximum of 45 aspirants are in fray from Bokaro seat. Displaced population forms a very important part of the electorate in this industrial city. It is the home of the largest steel plant in India, and several other medium and small industries.
Hussainabad: This will be another seat to watch. Koda's ex-Cabinet colleague Kamlesh Kumar Singh, also facing corruption charges, is contesting from this seat. He had won the last elections by a slender margin of 35 votes from the same constituency. Dashrath Kumar Singh of the Janata Dal (United) and Upendra Singh of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are also in the fray.
Chatra:The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has given ticket to Subedar Paswan and has shifted sitting MLA Satyanand Bhokta to Simaria. Besides Paswan, others in the fray from Chatra are Sahindra Ram from the Congress party, Suresh Das from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Janardan Paswan from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Chatra is considered the gateway to Jharkhand and has a rich historical heritage.
The historic records related to the city date back to Ashokan times. More than 60 per cent of the area of this district is covered by forest and has scattered settlement patterns.
Chaibasa: This constituency is likely to witness a straight fight between politicians of two different generations. Congress veteran and former MP Bagun Sumbrai will take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) greenhorn Manoj Liyangi in the fifth and last round of voting on December 18. Sitting BJP MLA Putkar Hembrom has been denied ticket this time. Others in the fray include Dipak Birua of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Ghanshyam Gagrai of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Daltonganj: Dilip Singh Namdhari, son of former Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari, is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Daltonganj assembly constituency of Jharkhand. Anil Kumar Chourasia, who remained the second runner up in previous assembly elections held in 2005, is a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) nominee. Others in the fray include K N Tripathi of the Congress party, Gyanchand Pandey of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Santosh Kumar from Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
Garwah: Sitting Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Girinath Singh is engaged in electoral battle with Mithilesh Thakur of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Alakhnath Pandey of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Satyendranath Tiwary of JVM (Prajatantrik), supported by the Congress party.
Girinath Singh had been representing this seat in undivided Bihar. His father Gopinath Singh had also represented this assembly constituency.
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