The second phase of polling for 14 of the 81 assembly seats in Jharkhand began Wednesday amid tight security.Due to security reasons, the balloting began at 7 a.m., an hour ahead of the schedule in view of the threat from maoist-guerrillas who have called for an election boycott, accordingly the polling will end at 3 p.m.
In the second phase, there are 259 candidates in the fray.
Four helicopters of air force and Border Security Force have been pressed into service for heightened surveillance. Around 35,000 security personnel including para troopers have also been deployed.
The fate of six former ministers, including All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) president and former home minister Sudesh Mahto, will be decided in this round of polling. Another key candidate is Masi Charan Munda, 34, a jailed Maoist who is contesting from Khuti constituency on a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) ticket.
