Campaigning in full swing for second phase of Jharkhand assembly Polls

Campaigning for the second and third phase of Jharkhand assembly elections has intensified and candidates are raising the issues of unemployment, terrorism, Naxalism and unprecedented hike in onion prices.

Twenty constituencies will go to the polls in the second phase on the 7th of this month.

Prakash Das, a candidate from the People's Party of India and contesting from Bokaro constituency, held a copy of the constitution during the campaigning.

"Naxalism, terrorism and unemployment have been on the rise in the country. If the constitution was enforced properly, this situation would not have arisen. Therefore, our mission is the absolute enforcement of the constitution," he said.

While campaigning, another candidate Venkatesh Sharma, wearing an onion garland highlighted the issue of the rising price of onions.

"The price of onions has been rapidly rising in various parts of the state. People are unable to afford onions. Therefore, I aim to decrease the prices of onions in the state once I am elected," he said.

He further stated that nearly 74 villages in the state are living in the 'seventeenth-century', and blamed the Centre and the State government for not taking appropriate steps to develop the area.

Another candidate Salim Khan is also contesting from Bokaro but the unique thing is that he has failed to win the seat for consecutive three times, yet he is undeterred to contest the elections, claiming it is the 'addiction of elections'.

Khan said: "It does not matter if people vote for me or not, all I want to do is to contest for the elections, which is why I review my nominations every five years."

It is pertinent to mention that he contest the election with the money he collects from the public.

There are 81 constituencies in Jharkhand, out of which 20 will go for polling in the second phase on December 7. Counting of votes will take place on December 23.

As many as 67 assembly constituencies in the state are "very extremely" to "extremely" affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE), Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora had said.

Incumbent Chief Minister Raghubar Das is seeking a second five-year term. The BJP leader has also become the first chief minister of the state to complete a full 5-year term in office. The tenure of the current Assembly ends on January 5, 2020.

Apart from BJP, Congress, JMM, and RJD are the major players in the state Assembly elections. It is to be noted that Congress, JMM and RJD are contesting the polls together.

It will be the fourth Assembly election in Jharkhand since the state was carved out in 2000 from Bihar.