New Delhi:
Fourteen of the 81 assembly constituencies of Jharkhand will go to the polls in the second phase of assembly elections on December 2. The electoral fate of 239 candidates will be decided by 3,096,854 voters. Most of 14 assembly constituencies going to polls fall in Maoist infected areas. Following are the key constituencies going to polls in the second phase.
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 area was once again 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 are former Ranchi University Vice-Chancellor Ram Dayal Munda and Nishikant Oraon of JMM.
Gomia: Altogether 22 candidates, including former MLA Chatru Ram Maho, are 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 ofIndia. Koderma is the district town of Jharkhand and is well known for rich mica deposits. Sitting RJD MLA Annapurna Devi is locking horns with RameshSingh of the Congress party with support from Jharkhand Vikash Morcha(Prajatantrik). JVM (P) president Babulal Marandi represents Kodermaseat in the Lok Sabha.
Silli: All Jharkhand Student's Union president and former homeminister of the state Sudesh Mahto, who earned the distinction to enterthe state assembly at the age of 25 years, are in the fray. BesidesMahto, Congress party nominee, who earlier represented this assemblyconstituency, Keshav Mahto Kamlesh, is making all efforts to get hisseat 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: In this constituency, 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.