Ranchi: The electoral fortunes of 42 candidates including that of former Chief Minister and Union Minister Shibu Soren will be decided on Sunday, as Jharkhand gears up for the final phase of the general elections.
Elections will be held in three seats - Dumka, Rajmahal and Godda on Sunday.
Soren, the chief of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and a 8th term sitting MP is in the fray from Dumka seat once again. He is crossing swords with BJP's Sunil Soren. The JMM leader had defeated his BJP challenger twice in 2009 and 2014.
Altogether 45,64,681 electors, including 22,00,119 female and 21 third gender voters are eligible to exercise their franchise, an Election Commission release said.
While 15 candidates are in the fray in Dumka, 14 are trying their luck from Rajmahal and 13 in Godda.
The JMM, the Congress and the JVM of former chief minister Babulal Marandi have formed 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance), putting up candidates against the BJP nominees in the 14 seats of the state.
JMM's sitting MP, Vijay Kumar Hansda, is facing a tough challenge from BJP's Hemlal Murmu from Rajmahal seat.
Murmu, who was a four-time MLA and had won the Rajmahal Lok Sabha seat in 2004 as JMM candidate, joined the BJP in 2014.
Sitting BJP MP Nishikant Dubey is also facing fight from JVM MLA Pradip Yadav from Godda seat.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Ajsu party president Sudesh Mahto camped in the Santhal Pargana region for several days, campaigning for the BJP candidates.
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