Unfortunate that Jharkhand elections are being held in five phases: Cong leader RPN Singh

It is unfortunate that elections are being held in Jharkhand in five phases, said Jharkhand Congress in-charge RPN Singh after the Election Commission announced polls in the state on Friday.

Speaking to media persons, Singh said, "It is unfortunate as we had requested the Election Commission that the elections should be held in a single phase. Single phase elections took place in Maharashtra which has 288 seats and Haryana which has 90 seats but Jharkhand, which has 81 seats, will have five-phase elections."

"It is most surprising that the Election Commission has said that the state is Naxal-affected because Chief Minister Raghubar Das has repeatedly said in his tenure that the Naxal problem has been wiped out," he added.

Singh further stated that this time Bharatiya Janata Party will not cross the 25-seat mark.

"I can tell you plainly that people of Jharkhand will not even give 25 seats to BJP," he said.

Jharkhand will go to polls in five phases from November 30 with the counting to be held on December 23, the Election Commission announced on Friday.

The first phase of polling to the 81-member Jharkhand assembly will be held on November 30, the second phase on December 6, the third phase on December 12, fourth phase on December 16 and the last phase on December 20.