By IANS,
Ranchi : Campaigning for the second phase of polls to the Jharkhand assembly, scheduled for Dec 2, came to an end Monday.
The campaigning ended at 3 p.m.
In the second phase, 14 of the total 81 assembly constituencies go to the polls. The state is holding a five-phased election that ends Dec 18 and the counting of votes will take place Dec 23.
The first phase of polls took place Nov 25 for 26 seats.
In the second phase, the electoral fate of 239 candidates will be decided by 3,096,854 voters.
Among the candidates are six former ministers including ex-home minister and president of All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) Sudesh Mahto.
Another candidate is Masi Charan Munda, 34, a jailed Maoist rebel, fighting the poll on a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) ticket. He faces 18 criminal cases including for murder.
Most of 14 assembly constituencies fall in Maoist strongholds. Maoist rebels have asked for a boycott of the poll.
“Adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful polling. The sensitive booths will be covered by static forces and security forces will also guard the roads in jungle areas,” V.H. Deshmukh, Jharkhand police spokesperson, told IANS.