Jharkhand bypoll: Dumka registers 65.27% turnout, Bermo at 60.20%

As per the election officials, Dumka registered 65.27 percent polling in the bypolls and Bermo in Bokaro district witnessed 60.20 percent turnout.

Bucking fear of the Covid-19 pandemic, voters turned out in huge numbers on Tuesday to exercise their franchise and choose their representative from Dumka and Bermo to the Jharkhand assembly.

Jharkhand: Voters show their voter ID card to security personnel as they arrive to cast their vote for the by elections in Dumka on Tuesday. (ANI)

As per the election officials, Dumka registered 65.27 percent polling in the bypolls and Bermo in Bokaro district witnessed 60.20 percent turnout, only marginally low than the polling percentage clocked in the 2019 assembly polls. In December 2019 elections, Bermo had recorded 60.91 percent polling while Dumka polled 66.89 percent votes.

Polling went off peacefully in the both the seats. While voting was conducted from 7 am to 5 pm in Dumka, in Bermo the polling was conducted from 7 am to 4 pm. Counting of votes would be done on November 10.

In both the seats, ruling JMM and Congress candidates are locked in a direct contest with the BJP candidates. While the JMM has fielded Basant Soren, younger son of party patriarch Shibu Soren from its traditional stronghold Dumka, Congress has fielded Jaimangal Singh, son of the deceased six-term party legislator Rajendra Singh from Bermo.

Claiming victory for the ruling alliance, JMM general secretary Supriya Bhattacharya said their candidates in both the seats would win with a bigger margin than the 2019 polls.

“People have shown their trust in the Hemant Soren government. Three former chief ministers of BJP were campaigning in the polls. People have made it clear that they are no more relevant to the state politics,” said Bhattacharya.

Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said the high turnout in the bypolls shows the BJP will win both the seats hands down. “The good turnout in the bypoll, despite the pandemic, shows that people are disillusioned with the government. And when people come out to vote in large numbers in bypoll, usually it is against the government. So we are very much hopeful that we will win both the seats hands down,” said Shaheo.

Though both sides are claiming victory in both seats, the electoral outcome is unlikely to make any immediate impact on the stability of the 10-month old government as the numbers in the 81-member assembly are stacked in favour of the ruling JMM-Congress-RJD combine with support of at least 48 legislators of the existing 78 members.

One seat fell vacant last month after demise of JMM legislator and minority affairs minister Haji Hussain Ansari.