Voting begins for first phase of Jharkhand assembly polls, and bypolls across multiple states including Assam

The initial phase of the Jharkhand assembly polls commenced early Wednesday morning, with 43 of the 81 constituencies opening their booths for voters across 15 districts. The outcome of this phase will shape the future of 683 candidates, among whom 73 are women, showcasing the increasing representation of women in regional politics.

Simultaneously, 31 assembly seats across 10 states are witnessing bye-elections, with voters in Kerala's Wayanad constituency also heading to the polls to elect a Lok Sabha representative. The constituency has attracted national attention as Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra makes her electoral debut. She faces competition from Satyan Mokeri of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and Navya Haridas of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Chelakkara assembly seat in Thrissur district is also part of the state’s polling schedule.

In Assam, voters are participating in bye-elections across five key seats: Samaguri, Behali, Bongaigaon, Sidli, and Dholai. This voting exercise is poised to test the political waters ahead of the state’s larger electoral battles.

Polling across all these constituencies commenced at 7 a.m., with robust security and administrative arrangements in place to facilitate a smooth voting process. The results of these elections are set to have significant implications for both regional and national political dynamics.

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