Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to those voting in the first phase of the Jharkhand Assembly polls on Wednesday to exercise their franchise in record numbers to end corruption, infiltration and appeasement in the state.
Voting for 43 Assembly seats in Jharkhand began this morning, with 683 candidates, including former chief minister Champai Soren and ex-MP Geeta Kora, trying their luck.
"I appeal to all the voters going to vote in the first phase of polling in Jharkhand to cast record votes for the creation of a Jharkhand which is free from corruption, infiltration and appeasement, and is developed," Shah wrote on X in Hindi.
The home minister said the people of Jharkhand should vote in large numbers to protect tribal identity, land, security of women, and employment for the youth.
Shah also asked the people to vote before having breakfast, saying, "Roti-beti-mati ke liye pehle matdan, phir jalpan".
The second phase of elections will be held on November 20 in the state. The votes will be counted on November 23.
Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.
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