Ranchi, Dec 23 (IANS): Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (P) chief and former chief minister Babulal Marandi is leading by 7656 votes over Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) candidate Raj Kumar Yadav from Dhawar constituency in the assembly polls.

Commenting on early trends, Marandi told reporters they will accept people's mandate. "Let the results come, we will sit and discuss what to do. We will accept the people's mandate," he said.

BJP's Lakshman Prasad Singh received less than three thousand votes so far. As Congress did not put up any candidate, its alliance JMM, however, is fighting from the seat. JMM candidate Nijamuddin Ansari got less than a thousand votes so far.

In 2014 assembly polls, Yadav had defeated Babulal Marandi by a margin of 10,712 votes.

In the 2019 assembly elections, there were a total of 3,07,519 eligible voters, of which 1,62,506 were male, 1,45,011 female and 2 voters of the third gender.

Dhanwar Assembly is a part of Koderma Lok Sabha constituency.

Dhanwar is also famous for silver ornaments and metal utensils, apart from a rapidly growing electronic market.

In the 2019 elections, the voter turnout was recorded at 61.68 per cent.

The seat went to the polls on December 12, 2019 in Phase 3 of the assembly elections.

A total of 14 candidates, including 7 independents, contested elections from Dhawar constituency.