00:00This is Ranchi, the capital city of Jharkhand, often considered to be one of the most developed
00:09cities in the eastern part of the country.
00:12Now where we are standing right now is the iconic Albert Ekka Phiray Lal Chowk.
00:18Albert Ekka, why?
00:20Albert Ekka is the Parameer Chakra winner, Bharat-Pakistan Yudh Mein Veer Gati Prapt,
00:26Lance Nayak Albert Ekka, Janm 27 December 1942 and Veer Gati 3 December 1971.
00:34The 1971 war between India and Pakistan saw Albert Ekka's bravery and his courage which
00:46got him the Parameer Chakra and right after that, beyond that you would see Phiray Lal,
00:51which means this roundabout is the most iconic Phiray Lal Chowk or the Albert Ekka Chowk
01:00here and the hustle-bustle around us is something that speaks volumes about how people of this
01:08city come out on the weekends and they go about their daily businesses, purchasing things
01:14and food items for their family, for their loved ones and also the city is going to witness
01:21elections in the first phase on 13th of November, the assembly elections and because of that,
01:28if you would take a look around me, Ekhi Nara, Hemant Dobara, vehicles like these promoting
01:39Bharatiya Janata Party, right after that another BJP vehicle coming along.
01:47This is a very unique way of canvassing here, using battery-operated rickshaws, putting
01:53loudspeakers, songs and then some commentary in between.
01:58So there is Ekhi Nara, Hemant Dobara, then you have Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Mahua Maa
02:03ji, Aapke Saath, Mahua Maa ji would be contesting from this Ranchi constituency and she is part
02:11of the India Maha Ghatbandhan, this is how it is.
02:15Right next to that is the message from the Election Commission, Vidhan Sabha Aam Chunao
02:202024, Ghar se Nikle Mat Dan Kare, next is the BJP poster here, Anubhav hai, Raftaar
02:29hai, CP Singh aapka parivaar hai, CP Singh has been an old horse as far as the politics
02:36of Ranchi is concerned and he has been the part of this Ranchi electorate for the longest
02:44period of time.
02:45People have reposed faith in him time and again and that's why BJP is banking him once
02:50again and he is the one who is contesting from this seat here, CP Singh.
02:55This is the message that you see from Election Commission, come out and vote and almost all
03:01major political parties are canvassing as the final hour for the closure of the campaigning
03:09is approaching.
03:10On 11th of November at 5pm the campaigning would close and hence all political parties
03:15are using different types of methodologies to promote themselves and to put forth their
03:21case.
03:22If you look at towards my right, these are life-size posters but they are not from any
03:28political party as such, they are local Chadri Sadhana Samiti which is giving best wishes
03:35for Chhat Puja, Durga Puja and all.
03:39The festive season has just ended, you look at the number of names and the faces there,
03:44all of them local leaders here and this is how they say that in Ranchi you don't see
03:51politics out in the open, you see it in the houses, in the households and that's how.
03:58Deeply entrenched, very well-read electorate here in Ranchi especially and when deciding
04:05who their next candidate is, they use their vote as their right, as their strength and
04:10that's why it is being touted that the anti-incumbency as far as Hemant Soren is concerned could
04:17be very very strong.
04:18Whether he is able to retain the urban votes, it's a big question.
04:23In rural areas obviously it is being seen that it is going to be an easy cakewalk for
04:29him but for BJP obviously reclaiming the power, we have seen Champai Soren shifting goalposts,
04:36to the BJP, all those things put together are promising to be a hectic election fight
04:45here in Jharkhand.
04:46A lot of messages from the election commission here in Jharkhand, vote Karega Ranchi,
04:53hashtag vote Karega Ranchi is the message and there are posters like this dotted all
04:59across the city telling you how you can get your names registered in your electoral rolls
05:07and what you should do if you don't find your name there.
05:11So this is about an evening in Ranchi, hustle bustle is the key word here but one thing
05:18is for sure in the underbelly something is cooking, something is boiling also.
05:24It could be the anger of the electorate but very easily if they are unhappy with the current
05:28government Ranchi Jharkhand is known to have voted opposition parties also equally in power
05:35in the last 20 years, 24 years of its existence.
05:40With camera person Kausar Alam, this is Pankaj Mishra reporting for OneIndia from Ranchi.
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