Fate of two Ex CMs and central Minister to be decided in second phase of poll

Ranchi: Fate of two former Chief Ministers and central Minister will be decided in the second phase of polling on Monday as campaigning ends on Saturday evening.

In the second phase of Jharkhand, polling will take place for four Lok Sabha seats-Ranchi, Khunti, Hazaribagh and Koderma. All eyes are on Khunti, Koderma and Hazaribagh. First Chief Minister of Jharkhand Babulal Marandi who is also president Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) is fighting from Koderma seat.

He was elected to Lok Sabha from Koderma in 2004 and 2009. He was Chief Minister of Jharkhand from November 2000 to March 2003. He is joint candidate four opposition parties-Congress, JMM, RJD and JVM-P formed grand alliance in the state. He is pitted against BJP candidate Annapurna Devi who was the state RJD president and joined BJP after the announcement of the poll.

Three time Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Arjun Munda has been fielded by BJP from Khunti Lok Sabha seat. Munda is facing a tough challenge from Congress candidate Kalicharan Munda. The Christian voters have polarised and tribals are unhappy with the state govt over amending the land act to facilitate the industrialists to acquire land.

BJP has alleged that one community religious places are being used to polarise the votes.

In Hazaribagh, central civil Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha is in a direct fight with Congress candidate Gopal Sahu. In Ranchi, the fight is interesting among BJP, Congress and rebel BJP MP Ramtahal Chaudhary fighting as an independent. BJP has fielded Sanjay Seth and Congress to former Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahay. BJP toiling hard to retain all four seats in 2019 polls.

In the second phase there are 61 candidates whose fate will be decided 65,87,028 voters including 31,44,679 women voters.