Ranchi, November 12: Jharkhand's high-stakes assembly elections kick off tomorrow, November 13, as 43 seats go to the polls in the first of two phases. With 685 candidates contesting, the election has shaped up as a direct confrontation between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the INDIA bloc, the opposition alliance.
Polling will be open from 7 AM to 5 PM across most booths, with a few exceptions where voting will close an hour earlier at 4 PM.
The Jamshedpur West constituency is notably competitive, with 28 candidates, while Jagannathpur sees the least number of contestants with just eight. The two-phase elections for the 81-seat assembly will continue with the second round on November 20, and vote counting is set for November 23.
In the lead-up to the polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have led an energetic campaign for the NDA, hosting multiple rallies and roadshows.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren, along with his wife, MLA Kalpana Soren, has campaigned intensively for the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and alliance partners in the INDIA bloc, including the Congress.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have also made two visits each to the state to mobilize voter support.
