66% turnout in 43 Jharkhand Assembly seats in first phase

“Today is the first round of voting in Jharkhand assembly elections. I urge all voters to vote with full enthusiasm in this festival of democracy. On this occasion, my heartiest congratulations to all my young friends who are going to vote for the first time! Remember – first vote, then refreshment!” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote in a post on X. Chief Minister Hemant Soren said in a post on X: “If you like our work, please support us. I promise that I will do 10 years of work in the next 5 years so that no one can stop our pace of progress.”

The JMM-led coalition sought to retain power riding on its welfare schemes, including Maiyan Samman Yojna, while the BJP made infiltration and alleged corruption their campaign plank.

Top BJP leaders, including Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP chief J P Nadda held several rallies and attacked the Soren-led government over alleged corruption and infiltration.

INDIA bloc leaders including the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and his wife and legislator Kalpana Soren highlighted welfare schemes and accused the BJP-led Centre of unleashing central agencies, including ED, CBI and the I-T department, against the Opposition.

Key battles include former CM Champai Soren, contesting on a BJP ticket in Seraikela, facing JMM’s Ganesh Mahli. Geeta Kora, wife of former CM Madhu Koda, is up against Congress’s Sona Ram Sinku in Jagannathpur. —With PTI Inputs