Ranchi, Dec 10 (IANS): Campaigning for the third phase of Jharkhand assembly polls drew to a close on Tuesday evening. Seventeen Assembly seats spread over eight districts will go to polls on December 12.

In the third phase, the key candidates, whose fate will be sealed in the EVMs on Thursday, are three Ministers - C.P. Singh, Ramchandra Shahi and Neera Yadav; Former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi and former Deputy Chief Minister and All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) president Sudesh Mahto.

Of the 17 seats, BJP, JMM and Congress had won 10, three and two respectively in 2014 assembly elections.

There are a total of 309 candidates including 32 women in the fray for 17 seats.

On the last day of campaigning, leaders of all political parties made a last ditch efforts to woo the voters.

The seats where elections will be held in this phase include Koderma, Barkatha, Gomia, Dhanwar, Ramgarh, Barkagaon, Ranchi, Hatia, Silli, Hazaribagh, Mandu, Barhi, Berma, Ichagarh, Khijri, Simaria and Kanke.