Second phase elections: Jharkhand polls peaceful, 32 percent voting in first four hours

Polling was going on peacefully and 32.10 per cent of the total 44,31,900 voters exercised their franchise in the first four hours, Election Commission sources said.

Long queues were seen in the Maoist-hit areas, where election is being held amid tight security.

Till 11 AM, Baharagora constituency registered the maximum voter turnout of 44.38 percent followed by Jagannathpur 43 percent, Majhgaon 40 percent and Tamar 29 percent, the sources said.

Barring a defective EVM machine being replaced in Jaganathpur, polling is incident-free, the sources said. Former Chief Minister Madhu Koda and his MLA wife Gita Koda cast their votes in Jaganathpur constituency.

While Koda is contesting from Majhgaon (ST) seat, his wife is fighting from Jaganathpur (ST) constituency.

Another former Chief Minister Arjun Munda and his wife Meera Munda also exercised his franchise from Kharsawan, from where he is contesting for the fifth time.

BJP Vice President and former deputy chief minister Raghuvar Das cast his franchise in Jamshedpur (East), while his BJP colleague and candidate from Jamshedpur (WEST) Saryu Roy also cast his vote.

Tata Steel Managing Director T V Narendra and his wife Ruchi Narendran also voted in Jamshedpur. Besides women, a large number of youths were seen waiting in serpentine queues in the steel city.

Khunti SDO-cum-returning officer Ramesh Gholak said voting was going on peacefully.

A total of 44,31,900 voters, including 21,72,982 women, are eligible to cast their franchise in 5,048 polling stations to elect 223 candidates, including 35 women.

Besides former Chief Ministers Arjun Munda and Madhu Koda, former deputy chief minister Raghubar Das (Jamshedpur East), three state ministers including Agriculture minister Banna Gupta (Jamshedpur-West), HRD minister Geetashree Oraon (Sisai), Industries minister Champai Soren (Seraikella), several sitting and former MLAs are trying their luck.

First phase polling was held in 13 Maoist-affected seats of the state on November 25 last which witnessed a turnout of 62 percent.

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Sisodia, Rakhi Birla in AAP's second list of candidates

Sisodia will contest from Patparganj and Birla has been fielded from Mangolpuri, seats represented by the two former ministers in their earlier stint as legislators.

AAP National convenor Arvind Kejriwal's name is to be announced at the end after all candidates propose his name as party's CM candidate.
  
The party has renominated Madan Lal, Dinesh Mohania and Prakash Jarwal, former legislators from Kasturba Nagar, Sangam Vihar and Deoli areas respectively. Raju Dhingan, with whom the party was unhappy over his ineffective handling of the riots, has also been given ticket from Trilokpuri seat.

The party dropped Veena Anand, who represented Patel Nagar seat, and has nominated Hazari Lal Chauhan in her place. AAP has also given ticket to Gopal Rai, senior party leader, from Baburpur. Interestingly, the party had decided to change some of its candidates that came third in last assembly election, but Rai, who came third, has been given the ticket.

It has also changed candidates in six constituencies, giving chance to new faces. From Ballimara, it has fielded Imran Hussain, while from Matia Mahal it has nominated Asim Ahmed Khan as the party candidate.

Ram Niwas Goel and Raghuvendra Shaukeen are party candidates from Shahdra and Nagloi Jat respectively. The party had come third and (fourth in case of Ballimaran) in these constituencies in last assembly elections and has decided to field new faces.
  
It has also changed its candidate from Rithala and has given ticket to Mahindra Goel. With this list, the total number of candidates declared by the party has gone up to 35 in the 70-member Delhi Legislative assembly.
  
In the first list of 22 candidates, announced on November 13, the party announced ticket to 12 of its former legislators, which included four former ministers of the 49-day AAP government.

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26.5 percent votes till 11 am, sporadic incidents in Jharkhand polls

Chief Electoral Officer P K Jajoria said barring reports of a couple of sporadic incidents, voting was "progressing peacefully with an impressive turnout of voters".

A landmine was detected at Hariharganj under Hussainabad Assembly constituency in Palamau district and was defused, he said. A couple of "fake explosives" were also recovered and there was no cause for worry, he said. Para-military forces were manning the areas, he said.

26.5 percent polling was reported till 11 AM and Jajoria said he expected better polling percentage this time than the previous elections.

Voting was picking up in the rural areas, he said. Braving the chill, women in large numbers had lined up in front of the polling booths even before polling began at 7 AM. Voting will end at 3 PM.

All the 13 seats are spread over the six Maoist affected districts of Palamu, Gumla, Lohardaga, Chatra, Garhwa and Latehar.

Ten sitting MLAs, including one minister, and several former ministers are among 199 candidates trying their luck today.

The Assembly seats going to polls include Chatra (SC), Gumla (ST), Bishunpur (ST), Lohardaga (ST), Manika (ST), Latehar (SC), Panki and Daltonganj, Bishrampur, Chhatarpur (SC), Hussainabad, Garhwa and Bhawanathpur.

A total of of 33,61,938, including 15,77,090 women voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase to choose among the candidates, including 18 women and 72 independents.

This is the third Assembly election in Jharkhand which was carved out of Bihar in 2000.

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