Elections 2019: Elections in 3 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand on April 29

RanchiOver 4526 lakh voters will on Monday decide the fate of 59 candidates in the first phase of polls for three Lok Sabha constituencies in Jharkhand amidst tight security and air surveillance The three constituencies all won by the BJP in 2014 elections are Lohardaga ST Palamu SC and ChatraAs there are some Naxal pockets in Palamu and Chatra the borders with Bihar have been sealed and adequate security arrangements have been made for the polling an official saidJharkhand Chief Electoral Officer L Khiangte told a press conference here that there are a total 4526693 electorate for Lohardaga Chatra and Palamau Lok Sabha seats and 6072 polling stations for the three seats going for polls on Monday from 7 am to 4 pm A total 25727 polling personnel have reached their polling centres while some personnel deputed at 137 polling stations were airdropped as their destinations are situated in remote areas he saidDue to security reasons Khiangte added a total 132 polling stations were relocated with the consent of political parties and candidates Khiangte saidAmong the total polling stations 2092 are hyper sensitive and 2710 are sensitive across the three constituencies he said An air ambulance will be available at the Birsa Munda Airport here from this evening till April 30 evening while cashless medical treatment would be provided for electionrelated cases he saidInspector General of Police Operation Ashish Batra said that 200 companies of central paramilitary forces 300 companies of various state police forces and 4500 home guards have been deployed to oversee voting in the state He said five helicopters have begun air surveillance Since the notification of elections on March 10 there was continuous antinaxal operations four encounters took place with three rebels being gunned down and 41 naxalites arrested the IGP said Huge quantity of weapons landmines and 190 kg explosives were seized besides Rs 226 crore cash being recovered he said Among the contestants Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Sudarshan Bhagat is seeking reelection from the LohardagaST seat He is pitted against Sukhdeo Bhagat Congress MLA and Mahagathbandhan candidate In Palamu it is a straight contest between the BJP and the Mahagathbandhan grand alliance Former Jharkhand police chief and BJP candidate Vishnu Dayal Ram is facing challenge from RJDs Ghuram Ram supported by the Mahagathbandhan comprising Congress JMM and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha PrajatantrikThe RJD has fielded Subhas Yadav in Chatra resulting in a friendly fight with the Congress nominee Manoj Yadav there The BJP has renominated its sitting MP Sunil Kumar Singh from the seat Senior BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah had campaigned asking the people to reelect the NDA to take forward the developmental works and protect the countrys securityNo prominent national level leader of the opposition parties had campaigned in the three seats Lok Sabha elections in 14 parliamentary constituencies of Jharkhand will be held in four phasesCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates