INDIA bloc, BJP brace for high-stake clash as J'khand votes in phase 1 today

BYPOLLS IN WAYANAD LOK SABHA, 31 ASSEMBLY SEATS IN 10 STATES ALSO TO BE HELD TODAY

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Voters in Jharkhand will head to the polling booths on Wednesday for the first phase of the state's Assembly elections, with 43 constituencies spread across 15 districts up for grabs. Simultaneously, a slew of bypolls will be held across 10 states and Kerala's high-profile Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency.

In Jharkhand, the fate of 683 candidates across 43 constituencies will be decided on November 13. These seats are spread across districts such as East Singhbhum, Ranchi, and Palamu, with some high-profile constituencies attracting significant attention. The 43 seats are divided into 17 general seats, 20 reserved for Scheduled Tribes, and 6 for Scheduled Castes. The stage is set for what promises to be an intense battle, with political heavyweights such as former Chief Minister Champai Soren, Health Minister Banna Gupta, and Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji all vying for victory.

Prominent constituencies in the first phase include Saraikela, Jamshedpur West, Jagannathpur, and Ranchi, where key figures from both the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led alliance and the Opposition BJP-led NDA are contesting. Champai Soren, who recently joined the BJP after leaving the JMM, will contest from Saraikela, a seat that holds symbolic importance. In Jamshedpur West, Banna Gupta, representing Congress, faces off against Saryu Roy of the JD(U), who is best known for defeating former Chief Minister Raghubar Das in the 2019 elections. In Ranchi, the BJP's CP Singh will compete against Mahua Maji, a JMM leader and current Rajya Sabha MP.