Election updates: Phase 1 of Jharkhand Assembly, Priyanka Gandhi’s test in Wayanad today

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WAYANAD: Voting for 43 Assembly seats in Jharkhand commenced on Wednesday with a total of 683 candidates trying their luck, including former CM Champai Soren and ex-MP Geeta Kora. Polling began around 7 am in these constituencies across 15 districts and will continue till 5 pm.

Meanwhile, voting is also underway for bypolls to Kerala’s Wayanad Lok Sabha seat and Chelakkara Assembly constituency, three Assembly segments in Karnataka, seven Assembly seats in Rajasthan, five Assembly seats in Assam, four Assembly seats in Bihar and six Assembly seats in West Bengal.

For Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, there are 16 candidates in the fray with Congress-led UDF’s candidate and Rahul Gandhi’s sister Priyanka Gandhi, who is making her electoral debut, CPI(M)-led LDF’s Sathyan Mokeri and BJP-led NDA’s Navya Haridas being the top contenders.

Bypolls to Budhni and Vijaypur Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh, Raipur City South bypoll in Chhattisgarh and Gambegre Assembly seat in Meghalaya are also underway.