Wednesday, February 23 2005 10:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna/Ranchi: Amidst shoot-at-sight orders in Bihar and heightened vigil in Jharkhand, balloting began this morning (Feb 23, 2005) for the last lap of Assembly elections in the two States, which will decide the fate of Chief Minister Rabri Devi and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) rebel Stephen Marandi among others.

Choppers patrolled the skies in sensitive areas and the Indo-Nepal border was sealed to prevent entry of Maoist rebels in Bihar where 93 constituencies, having an electorate 2.01 crore, are going to polls.

In neighbouring Jharkhand, an estimated 64.51-lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to choose their representatives from 28 seats up for grabs in the final phase.

A total of 1,329 candidates are trying their luck in Bihar where the over fortnight-long high-decibel campaign for the last leg saw the externment of three Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders, including Union Minister Akhilesh Prasad Singh and Rabri Devi's high-profile brother Sadhu Yadav.

Besides Rabri Devi, notable contestants in Bihar in the last round include leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Upendra Singh, State Congress president Ramjatan Sinha and senior RJD Ministers Awadh Bihari Choudhury, Udit Rai and Indrani Devi, wife of Sadhu Yadav.

In Jharkhand, where JMM-Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Janata Dal-United (JD-U) combines are locked in a keen and bitter contest, the electoral fate of 532 contestants will be sealed in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM).

Prominent contestants in the state include JMM rebel Stephen Marandi and JMM chief Sibu Soren's two sons - Durga and Hemant.