Union ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Annapurna Devi among star campaigners for Ghatshila bypoll

Ranchi, Oct 13 (PTI) Ahead of the Ghatshila bypoll in Jharkhand, the BJP on Monday released a list of 40 star campaigners, who will participate in the electioneering, including Union ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Annapurna Devi and Jual Oram.

Among other campaigners are Odisha and Chhattisgarh Chief Ministers Mohan Charan Majhi and Vishnu Deo Sai, respectively.

BJP national general secretary Arun Singh came out with the list containing the names of 40 party leaders, who will campaign for the Ghatshila assembly constituency, where bypolls will be held on November 11 along with the second phase of the Bihar assembly elections.

The campaigners also include several BJP MPs like Nishikant Dubey, Dulu Mahto and Deepak Prakash, besides party leaders Virendra Kumar Khatik, Vishnu Deo Sai, Babulal Marandi, Aditya Sahu, Laxmikant Bajpai, N N Tripathi, Raghubar Das, Arjun Munda, Champai Soren, Madhu Koda, Karambeer Singh and Sameer Oraon.

The nomination process for the bye-election to the Ghatshila constituency began on Monday with the issuance of the gazette notification.

However, no candidate filed nomination papers on the first day. It will continue until October 21. Scrutiny of nominations will be held on October 22, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is October 24.

"Submissions will be accepted from 11 am to 3 pm," East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer Karn Satyarthi said.

Voting will take place from 7 am to 5 pm on November 11, while counting is scheduled on November 14.

The seat fell vacant after education minister Ramdas Soren died at a private hospital in New Delhi on August 15.

The constituency has 2.56 lakh electors, including 1.31 lakh female voters.

Altogether, 300 polling stations will be set up at 231 locations for conducting free and fair polls, officials said.

The ruling JMM-led alliance and opposition BJP are likely to announce the names of their candidates this week. PTI NAM RBT