New Delhi, 13 November 2024: Polling is underway for the first phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections, and the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypolls.
In Jharkhand, preparations included mock voting exercises at various polling stations to ensure a smooth process.
Early visuals revealed long queues of voters, with women forming a significant part of the crowd.
The first phase covers 43 seats, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aiming to unseat the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led coalition. Notably, the BJP has fielded former Chief Minister Champai Soren against Congress’s Ajoy Kumar. Polling for the second phase is set for November 20.
In Wayanad, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi is making her electoral debut, contesting the seat previously held by her brother, Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. She faces competition from Satyan Mokeri of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and BJP candidate Navya Haridas in the parliamentary bypoll.
Security measures are stringent, with over 200 companies of security forces deployed to ensure a safe voting environment. Mock polling was carried out at various stations to test the preparedness and efficiency of the process.
The results for these elections will be declared on November 23.
