The voters of Jamshedpur turned out in overwhelming numbers on Tuesday in the most enthralling Assembly elections of the State in a decade, with saffron brigade and the opposition parties daring to hope that the polls would be in their favour.
Barring skirmish incidents between party workers of different outfits outside polling booths the polling was largely peaceful and clam.
Taking a lead, T V Narendran, managing director, Tata Steel along with his wife Ruchi Narendran went to vote. Clad in stripes shirt and a blue blazer, Narendran flashed a smile as shutterbugs went to capture the best pose.
Mrs Narendran, clad in salwar suit, also passed a smile. Voters standing in queue were a bit surprised to see the managing director of steel major along with his wife standing amidst them. The famous couple of the city exercised their franchise and went away on their Mercedes Benz. Though the media was keen to interact with them but they thought it better to just give a smile to the eager photographers.
Since early morning the security at the loyola School booth was tight. But despite its VIP status, the polling booth did see a fair number of people cast their votes. While many voters were either unaware about the VIPs on the list others felt it didn’t make a difference.
Deputy Commissioner Amitabh Kaushal said that the second phase polling was held peacefully under strict vigil. He said that both Election Commission as well as the district police made good co-ordination to ensure the elections are conducted in a smooth manner.
He said that the process to calculate the voting percentage is on. However, according to initial calculation Bahragora registered 73 per cent polling, Ghatshila 67 per cent, Potka 66 per cent. Jamshedpur East and West registered 58 per cent and 60 per cent respectively.
It may be mentioned that security forces comprising Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Jharkhand Jaguar assault groups, Jharkhand armed police, district police and home guards were deployed to ensure peaceful polling under threat of Naxalite effort to disrupt the polling.
Meanwhile, Adityapur Small Industries Association (ASIA), a leading industries body in Adityapur, set up three "model booths" close to the booth Nos 134, 135 and 136 at RIT area in Adityapur with free tea-stall rest rooms and even toilets.
ASIA president SN Thakur said that the initiative was taken to boost the voting percentage. He said they wanted maximum number of voters may turn up for the voting in the polling. Thakur, when asked, said he like others in the ASIA are in favour of a government of full majority in Jharkhand.
Except Ichagarh assembly constituency in Seraikela-Kharsawan district, the polling in rest of the 13 assembly constituencies took place in second phase of the polling. Polling at Ichagarh, which is also a rebel-hit area, will be held in the third phase on December 9.