With 55.27 polls third phase ends with naxal violence and clash

Vijay Deo Jha/ Shilpi

Ranchi  

Amid naxal-police ambush killing two BSF jawans in Shikaripara with bloody clash between the JMM and the Congress supporters in Dumka and some other sporadic incidents, third phase of the polling returned with 55.27 (tentative) per cent poll.

The Election Commission during the press briefing provided poll statistics by 3 pm on Tuesday after the election was over. But all 11 constituencies barring Bokaro crossed the half century mark of poll turn out.

Bokaro, the largest assembly constituency with maximum number of candidates (45) and voters (442947) remained quite low in poll percentage with 41 per cent total turn out, based on the information provided by the commission.

"It is the average percentage figures; the overall poll percentage is likely to improve to around 60 per cent. The picture will be clear by Wednesday," the chief electoral officer Devashish Gupta informed the media.

It is despite Maoist's call for the poll boycott voters trekked to polling booths in large number. But reporters pouring from different parts of these constituencies suggest cases of poll boycott, zero polling and very low polling at some of the polling stations. As for instance Jama where 52 per cent voters painted their nail with poll colour, the booth number 207 remained the high seat of poll boycott.

Reports from Chandankiyari confirm that at least two booths 27 and 28 respectively under Gayachhanda block went with a total poll 6 and 7 respectively. Nonodhawari in Dumka remained a naysayer.

At least five assembly constituencies namely Hazaribagh (56%), Bermo (55%), Shikaripara (55%), Dumka (59%) and Jarmundi (62%) reported robust polling with marked improvement in comparison with the last assembly elections.

But Dhanwar returning with 57 percent registered a marked decline of 4.87 per cent in comparison to the last assembly election. So is the case with Jamua (57%) and Bagodar (56%) which was in a different league. But the poll officials contended that the initial poll figures had no face value till a concrete picture emerges out.

The polling starting from the morning till 3 pm had a slow opening but the last two hours registered a marked improvement in voters turn out equally defying naxals who were ready to trigger a surprise terror. It was seen in Shikaripara when naxals killed two BSF jawans in an encounter in Chaipani forest area under Amradob area. 

The timely recovery of a landmine planted by suspected naxals in Bhelwaghati spared the day from any bloodbath. Red warning was pasted on the walls warning people against participating in the biggest festival of the country at different constituencies especially in Bagodar. In Dhanwar the supporters of CPI (ML) candidate and sitting MLA (Vinod Singh) and the Jharkhand Vikash Morcha clashed to each other leading to disruption of the poll at few booths for half an hour. 

Dumka remained the theatre of high political drama following the attacks on the camp office of the Congress at Rani Bahal by the supporters of the JMM candidate Hemant Soren last night. While the district administration registered an FIR against Hemant and 20 other people it had made elaborate arrangements for a peaceful poll in Dumka where the Congress has fielded Stephen Marandi.

In another incident the police arrested the JMM candidate sitting MLA from Maheshpur Sufal Marandi for disrupting poll. 

If the polling at 3396 booths of these constituencies is taken together the rural folk behaved responsibly rather than the urban constituents. Bokaro can be cited as an example.  

The third phase of the election has sealed the fate of state stalwarts including Stephen Marandi, Hemant Soren, former agriculture minister and the JMM nominee Nalin Soren, BJP's Ravindra Rai and others. It is yet to be decided whether Bagodar remains loyal with the CPI (ML) or sides with the RJD where party's state president Gautam Sagar Rana has been contesting. So is the case with Dhanwar which remained markedly quite over the choice of the colour of the flag--saffron and red. The BJP and the CPI(ML) are in a direct tussle.  

While the elections for the third phase over battle line has been drawn for another 14 seats that will poll on December 12.