Curtains Fall On Campaigning For Jharkhand Election, Key Bypolls Across Assam, Bengal, Kerala, UP — Details

Campaigning for the first phase of Jharkhand Election concluded. The silence period for bypolls in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Rajasthan, MP, Bihar, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh has also begun.

Elections 2024: The enforcement of Section 126 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, bans election rallies, roadshows, and public meetings during the 48-hour "silence period" before the polling.

Source : PTI

Campaigning for the first phase of assembly polls in Jharkhand, covering 43 out of 81 seats, concluded on Monday. These constituencies will vote on November 13. High-profile leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi, were among the prominent figures who canvassed for their respective alliances, the NDA and INDIA bloc. 

The election is expected to be fiercely contested, with the NDA focusing on issues such as infiltration, corruption, and scams, while the INDIA bloc highlights tribal rights, welfare, and alleged harassment of local communities. Prime Minister Modi held roadshow in Ranchi and senior leaders from BJP-ruled states, including Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, also campaigned intensively.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) executive president and Chief Minister Hemant Soren, along with his wife and JMM legislator Kalpana Soren, led rallies for the ruling alliance. The arrest of Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case involving alleged land fraud has been a major talking point. The ruling alliance claims the arrest was politically motivated.

Notably, JMM's star campaigner Kalpana Soren on Monday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of trying to deny clearance for her helicopter to fly for her campaigning.

Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar announced that out of 2.6 crore total voters in Jharkhand, 1.37 crore are eligible to cast their votes in the first phase, news agency PTI reported. Kumar revealed that 683 candidates, including 609 men, 73 women, and one candidate from the third gender, are contesting across these 43 seats. Seventeen seats are unreserved, while 20 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and six for Scheduled Castes. 

Since the Model Code of Conduct came into effect, authorities have seized illegal materials and cash worth ₹179.14 crore. 

Bypolls 2024

Assam: In Assam, campaigning ended for bypolls in five assembly constituencies: Dholai (SC), Sidli (ST), Bongaigaon, Behali, and Samaguri. These elections were necessitated by representatives of these constituencies winning Lok Sabha seats. A total of 34 candidates are in the fray, with most being newcomers. 

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal headlined the BJP's campaign. Sarma attended public meetings in all five constituencies and led a roadshow in Behali, where the 16-party opposition alliance faced friction over candidate selection. Congress fielded Jayanta Borah, supported by Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, defying the bloc's decision to allot the seat to CPI(ML) Liberation.

Samaguri witnessed incidents of violence, with attacks on BJP and Congress supporters, vandalism of polling offices, and complaints filed with the Election Commission, PTI reported. Rakibul Hussain's son Tanzil will contest for Congress against BJP's Diplu Ranjan Sarma. Independent candidate Musabbir Ali Ahmed was found critically injured under mysterious circumstances. 

The BJP and Congress have accused each other of promoting dynastic politics. Congress pointed to AGP's nomination of Diptimayee Choudhury in Bongaigaon, wife of AGP MP Phani Bhusan Choudhury. In Sidli, a three-cornered fight looms between Congress, United People's Party Liberal, and Bodoland People's Front candidates.

West Bengal: Campaigning ended in six assembly constituencies—Sitai, Madarihat, Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, and Taldangra—amid allegations and counterclaims. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) criticised the ECI for delays in acting on their complaints. The ECI refuted these claims, stating it acted "within 20 hours" and called TMC’s delay allegations "surprising."

TMC leaders accused the BJP of influencing voters through central forces and violating protocol. The ECI issued a show-cause notice to BJP's Sukanta Majumdar over alleged derogatory remarks and flagged BJP MLA Niladri Shekhar Dana’s statements encouraging people to arm themselves. Meanwhile, TMC MP Arup Chakraborty’s remarks on voter mobilisation also drew criticism. The focus now shifts to how these tensions may affect polling.

Kerala: The campaign for the Wayanad Lok Sabha byelection ended with roadshows by the Congress-led UDF, CPI(M)-led LDF, and BJP-led NDA. Congress’s Rahul Gandhi actively campaigned for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, promising to transform Wayanad into a "world-class tourism destination." LDF's Sathyan Mokeri led a roadshow in Kalpetta, emphasising people's support. "Despite the UDF's extravagant spending, the people's turnout here signifies strong support for the LDF," said Mokeri, as quoted by PTI. The bypoll on November 13 will be closely watched as the campaigning energy spills over into the electoral contest. 

Rajasthan: Campaigning for the bypolls to seven assembly seats also concluded on Monday evening. The bypolls, covering Jhunjhunu, Dausa, Deoli-Uniara, Khinvsar, Chaurasi, Salumbar, and Ramgarh, are set for Wednesday. Results will be declared on November 23. Campaign highlights included Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma warning villagers against alleged brainwashing activities in Vagad and criticising Bharat Adivasi Party MP Rajkumar Roat over neglecting development. Meanwhile, Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra claimed diminishing public interest in BJP rallies, predicting losses for the party in all seven constituencies.

Madhya Pradesh: The battle for Budhni and Vijaypur assembly seats also witnessed intense campaigning that ended on Monday evening. The bypolls, necessitated by Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s Lok Sabha win and Ramniwas Rawat’s defection to the BJP, see high-profile contenders. Chouhan, now Union Agriculture Minister, campaigned for Ramakant Bhargava, while Congress fielded Rajkumar Patel in Budhni. In Vijaypur, Rawat faces Congress’ Mukesh Malhotra. BJP leaders promised expanded development, including increased financial aid under schemes like the 'Ladli Bahna Yojana,' while Congress accused the BJP of neglect and empty promises.

Bihar: RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, despite health concerns, rallied in Belaganj, urging voters to "uproot the BJP and RSS like radishes." He campaigned for debutant Vishwanath Kumar Singh and criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj party has raised eyebrows, fielding candidates in key constituencies, sparking allegations of strategic challenges for the RJD. The bypolls also see contests in Ramgarh, Imamganj, and Tarari, with key stakes for the RJD, BJP, and allies.

 The BJP hopes to wrest the Ramgarh seat by fielding former RJD MLA Ashok Kumar Singh. In Tarari, INDIA bloc partner CPI(ML) hopes that its candidate Raju Yadav will retain the seat vacated by Sudama Prasad, a two-term former MLA who won Arrah Lok Sabha constituency against BJP leader and ex-Union Minister R.K. Singh. Yadav's main challenger is BJP candidate Vishal Prashant

Karnataka: The Congress-ruled state will witness bypolls in Shiggaon, Sandur, and Channapatna In Shiggaon, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Bharath Bommai, son of former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who will contest against Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan. Sandur sees BJP’s Bangaru Hanumantha face off against Congress’s E Annapurna. Meanwhile, in Channapatna, BJP ally Janata Dal (Secular) has nominated Nikhil Kumaraswamy, the grandson of the party’s founder, while Congress’s C P Yogeeshwara will challenge him.

The bypolls were triggered by the resignations of Basavaraj Bommai (Shiggaon), E Tukaram (Sandur), and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy (Channapatna) after their victories in the 2023 Lok Sabha elections. On the last day of campaigning, political leaders and party workers conducted rallies, roadshows, and door-to-door campaigns to rally support.

Gujarat: The Vav assembly bypoll in Banaskantha district will see a fierce contest between Congress’ Gulabsinh Rajput, BJP’s Swaroopji Thakor, and independent candidate Mavji Patel. Patel, a BJP rebel, was suspended for contesting independently. The Vav seat, a Congress bastion, became vacant after Geniben Thakor’s Lok Sabha win. The constituency, with a strong Thakor community presence, witnessed intense campaigning from BJP and Congress leaders, including Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel.

Chhattisgarh: Campaigning for the Raipur City South assembly byelection concluded with the BJP and Congress pulling out all stops to secure voter support. BJP’s Sunil Kumar Soni, a former MP and ex-Mayor of Raipur, faces Congress’s Akash Sharma, a rising star and the state president of the Congress youth wing. The seat fell vacant following the resignation of BJP MLA Brijmohan Agrawal, who was elected to the Lok Sabha earlier this year.  

On the final day, both parties held significant rallies, with Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Agrawal leading BJP’s campaign, while former CM Bhupesh Baghel, Congress state in-charge Sachin Pilot, and state unit president Deepak Baij campaigned for the Congress candidate.

BJP’s campaign emphasised initiatives like the ‘Mahtari Vandan Yojna,’ which provides financial support to married women, while Congress accused Soni of neglecting his duties as an MP and criticised the Sai government’s handling of law and order issues in the state.

The enforcement of Section 126 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, bans election rallies, roadshows, and public meetings during the 48-hour "silence period."