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Ramgarh bypoll: 18 candidates in fray; Murder of Cong leader adds to tension
Ramgarh bypoll 2023: The bypoll was necessitated after the disqualification of Congress legislator Mamta Devi, following her conviction in a criminal case.
Jharkhand's Ramgarh will go to a bypoll on February 27 which was necessitated after the disqualification of Congress legislator Mamta Devi, following her conviction in a criminal case. 18 candidates are in the fray including 14 independents. Polling will start at 7am and continue till 5pm.
The Congress, an ally of the ruling JMM-led dispensation, has fielded Mamta Devi’s husband, Bajrang Mahto, from the seat. Mahto is set to take on Sunita Choudhary of the AJSU Party, which has tied up with the BJP for the poll.
The murder of Congress leader Raj Kishore Bauri alias Bitka Bauri on Saturday in Ramgarh has added tension. The 35-year-old was shot dead by motorcycle-borne criminals at 8pm near an old petrol pump on the Bhurkunda-Patratu road in Saunda area. Bauri, who was Patratu block representative of Congress’ MLA from Barkagaon, Amba Prasad, was taken to CCL hospital in Bhurkunda where doctors declared him brought dead
Over 3.34 lakh voters, including 1.61 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the Ramgath by-election. As many as 4,276 electors are above 80 years of age and 6,321 physically challenged. According to Ramgarh Superintendent of Police (SP) Piyush Pandey, the by-poll will be conducted in 405 polling booths. "Of the 405 booths, 244 have been marked 'hyper sensitive' and 114 as 'sensitive',” he said.
"Adequate number of security personnel has been deployed near the hyper sensitive and sensitive booths to ensure that the polling is held in a peaceful manner. All booths will have 100 per cent security cover," he asserted. In the 81-member Jharkhand House, the ruling UPA currently has 48 MLAs -- JMM 30, Congress 17 and RJD one. The BJP has 26 members and AJSU Party two. The NCP and CPI (ML) have one lawmaker each, apart from two Independents.
