New Delhi: The penultimate fourth phase of the five-phase Jharkhand Assembly polls is underway in 15 constituencies. The fourth phase will be witnessing a contest between several crucial leaders. While the fifth and final phase of polling for 16 seats will be held on December 20, the counting of votes will be taken up on December 23.
The key candidates in the fray are Land and Revenue Minister Amar Kumar Bauri (BJP) and Labour Minister Raj Paliwar (BJP) from the Chandankiyari and Madhupur seats respectively.
While Bauri is facing All Jharkhand Students' Union (AJSU) Party's Umakant Razzak, Paliwar's opponent is Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's (JMM) Haji Hussain Ansari. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), seeking to retain power, is contesting in all the 15 seats in this phase. Its ally AJSU Party is contesting on its own for the first time since the creation of Jharkhand in 2000.
Challenging the saffron party is the opposition alliance of JMM, Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which has fielded candidates in accordance with its pre-poll seat-sharing arrangements. Former minister and Congress candidate Mannan Malik is contesting the polls from Dhanbad, while another former minister and Congress nominee Jaleshwar Mahato is trying his luck from Baghmara against sitting BJP MLA Dhullu Mahato. Former minister and JMM candidate Mathura Prasad Mahato is contesting from Tundi.
Three-time MLA Arup Chatterjee is seeking re-election from Nirsa, where he is facing a challenge from former minister and BJP candidate Aparna Sengupta.
The other parties that have fielded candidates are the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik), the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Marxist Coordination Committee, the Janata Dal (United), the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), the CPI(ML-Liberation) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Of the total 81 Assembly seats, polling has been held for 50 in the first three phases between November 30 and December 12.
(with inputs from PTI)