Ranchi: Campaign for the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) election came to an end on Saturday evening. Candidates, running for the post of mayor and councillors for 53 wards across the city, held high-pitched roadshows, padytras and door-to-door campaigns to grab eyeballs in the final moments of campaign window.With the 48-hour silence period coming into effect from 5 pm, candidates and their supporters are barred from holding any public meetings. Additionally, liquor shops across Ranchi district were ordered shut from Saturday to Tuesday to ensure free and fair polling.
The final day witnessed a high-decibel show of strength, including a large motorcycle rally held in support of mayoral candidate Roshni Khalkho. Several senior leaders, including former chief minister Arjun Munda, Union minister Sanjay Seth and Ranchi MLA C P Singh, were present.“We will fight this election on civic issues and development and leave it to the wisdom of voters,” Roshni said.Congress-backed Rama Khalkho and JMM-supported Sujeet Vijay Anand Kujur also wrapped up their campaigns with roadshows, meetings and ward-level outreach earlier in the day.At the ward level, several candidates wrapped up their outreach drives before the 5 pm deadline. Ward 18 candidate Somvit Majhi concluded his door-to-door campaign, while Ward 45’s Naseem Gaddi, Ward 42’s Krishna Mahato and Ward 10’s Arjun Kumar Yadav held small neighbourhood meetings and padyatras through the day.“We focused on basic civic issues like drainage, roads and water supply. Now it is up to the people to decide,” said Mahato.Eleven candidates are contesting for the post of mayor while 167 aspirants are in the fray for 53 ward councillor posts. The votes will be counted on Feb 27.
