Ranchi, Dec 16 (Inditop.com) Campaigning for the fifth and final phase of polls to Jharkhand assembly ended Wednesday as 16 constituencies in the Maoist strongholds go to the hustings Friday amid heavy security.
In this phase, 290 candidates are in the fray and their fate will be decided by 3,393,172 voters.
Around 75,000 security personnel and six helicopters have been pressed into service for the peaceful conduct of the elections.
The key candidates in the fifth phase are jailed former minister Kamlesh Singh, former minister Bhanu Pratap Sahi and Geeta Koda, wife of former chief minister Madhu Koda, who is in jail for an alleged Rs.2,300 crore money laundering scam.
The 16 seats for which the polls will be held are: Chatra, Latehar, Simaria, Panki, Bishrampur, Hussainabad, Chhatarpur, Garwah, Bhavnathpur, Manika, Chaibasa, Barkatha, Jagannathpur, Sareikella, Kharsawan and Daltonganj.
Top leaders who campaigned for this phase of elections included Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, film stars Raj Babbar and Shatrughan Sinha.
The counting of votes will take place Dec 23.
