Lok Sabha 2019 constituency: Maoist-hit Khunti is one of most backwards seats in Jharkhand

The Khunti parliamentary constituency, reserved for members of Scheduled Tribes, is one of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand.

The Khunti Lok Sabha seat covers the districts of Khunti and Simdega and portions of the Ranchi and Seraikela Kharsawan districts. The constituency has six assembly segments, Kharsawan, Tamar, Topa, Khunti, Kolebira and Simdega, which are also reserved for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Tribes.

It is one of most backward regions of the eastern state and is also hit by Maoist violence.

Khunti has become one of Jharkhand’s high profile parliamentary constituencies after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielded Arjun Munda by dropping its eight-term sitting member of Parliament Karia Munda.

The constituency is heading for a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress backed by their alliance partners.

Polling in Jharkhand will be held in four phases from April 29 to May 19. Votes will be counted on May 23.

READ: All about Lok Sabha elections 2019

Here are a few details about the Khunti Lok Sabha seat:

State: Jharkhand

Name of the Lok Sabha constituency: Khunti

Polling date: May 6

2019 candidates: Arjun Munda (BJP), Kalicharan Munda (Congress)

Sitting MP, party: Karia Munda, BJP

Winning margin in 2014: 92,248

Runner up name, party: Enos Ekka, JKP

Number of voters in 2014: 736,955

Percentage of votes polled in 2014: 66.28%

Number of women voters in 2014: 546,308

Number of polling booths in 2014: 1,441