Jharkhand will count its millions of votes on December 23 and at the end of Tuesday's Round Two of Assembly elections, voters of 43 out of the total 81 constituencies will seal the fate of their candidates in EVMs.
By Tuesday evening, it will be pretty much clear who the tribals will reject and what will be the trend of polling in urban areas - this phase has maximum number of tribal seats and two urban constituencies.
Here's a detailed analysis of the phase two of state polls:
* Maximum seats and largest number of ST constituencies
With 16 out of the 20 constituencies reserved for tribals, all the major players, including the non-tribal parties are wooing voters with tribal-friendly promises. This phase has the highest number of constituencies among all the five phases. All star campaigners, including Prime Minister Modi and Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, have played the tribal card. While Modi claims it was the BJP that made a separate state for tribals, Rahul Gandhi promises tribals their right over land and resources.
In 2009, out of these 20 seats, BJP had eight, JMM five, Congress two and rest were held by Indendents.
* Prestige of two ex-CMs and 10 former ministers at stake
Former chief ministers Arjun Munda and Madhu Koda are trying their luck in the second round of polls. Madhu Koda who is in jail and facing graft charges is contesting from behind the bars from Jagannathpur seat.
Three-time former CM and sitting Kharsawan MLA Arjun Munda's main rival is Dashrath Gagrai who defected from JVM to JMM.
Ten former state ministers including Enos Ekka, Joba Manjhi, Geetashree Oraon, Raghuvar Das, Champai Soren, Vimla Pradhan, Banna Gupta, Dulal Bhuiyan and Bandhu Tirki, are also in the fray.
* Urban constituencies
The first truly urban constituencies going to polls in the ongoing elections are Jamshedpur (East) and Jamshedpur (West). These elections are important because they will show the trend of polling in big urban areas like Dhanbad and Ranchi.
* Number of candidates low
Jharkhand elections have been known for two reasons - Independents play an important role and dummy candidates are fielded to confuse voters.
Total 300 candidates contested from these 20 seats in 2009, but this year the number has gone down to 227. The number of Independent candidates has decreased from 94 to 62.
Major parties have accepted the fact that this election will witness a direct contest in most of the constituencies. Political analysts say this is happening because parties have shied away from fielded dummy candidates this time. Dummy candidates are an old trick to eat into votes of rivals.
* 9 of the 20 seats are Naxal-hit
Nine out of the 20 seats are badly hit by Naxal activities. The Election Commission has made special arrangements for these nine seats. Four helipcopters - one Dhruva and three MI-17 choppers have been deployed to make the task of 40,000 security forces easy in the second phase of elections. Conduction elections have never been easy in Sisai, Simdega, Kolebira, Tamar, Torpa, Khunti, Mandar and neighbouring areas.
* Crorepati candidates
Among the super rich candidates, Congress' Khunti candidate Pushpa Surin tops the list. The number of crorepati candidates in phase two is 37, six less than fist phases' 43. Other crorepatis are Abhay Singh, Ram Das Soren, Arjun Munda, Madhu Koda, Enos Ekka and Geeta Shree Oraon.
* Criminal charges
Several candidates in Round Two are facing serious criminal charges like rape, murder, corruption and communal disharmony. Sixty candidates, including a minister and two formers ministers, are facing serious charges.
Tamar Independent candidate Shishir Kumar Singh Munda, Congress candidate from Jugsalai constituency Dulal Bhuiyan, former minister Bandhu Tirkey are facing criminal charges. Ramlal Munda, an Independent candidate from Chakradharpur is facing rape charges.
Chaibasa Independent candidate John Miran and Ramlal Munda (Chakradharpur) and JMM's Paulus Surin (Torpa constituency) have declared cases related to murder charges.
Former chief minister Madhu Koda (JBSP) - Majhegaon and former minister Jharkhand Party chief Enos Ekka are facigngraft charges.
* Wives of heavyweights in the fray
Former Road and Transport Minister Enos Ekka's wife Menon Ekka is contesting from Simdega. Former Chief Minsiter Madhu Koda's wife Gita Koda is trying her luck from Jagannathpur seat. Both, like their husbands, are facing charges under IPC sections.
Sukhram Oraon's wife Navmi Oraon was offered Chaibasa ticket by the BJP after he was removed as BJP candidate from Chakradharpur seat as he has been convicted in an Arms Act case.
It will be interesting to see if the image of husbands will favour their wives or the wives will bring luck into husbands' lives.
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