Results of Jharkhand Assembly elections held in five phases are set to be declared on Monday with the ruling BJP finding itself in a spot of bother to retain power in the mineral rich State.
The exit polls gave marginal advantage to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led opposition alliance in a close contest , counting will take place across 24 districts. Counting will begin with postal ballots and then the EVMs will be brought in. Paper slips generated by the VVPATs will also be counted.
Overall voter turnout in this assembly poll was estimated at 65.23% compared to 66.53% to 2014. The counting will decide who would emerge victorious among 1216 candidates including 127 women for the 81-member assembly.
Stakes are high for BJP in Jharkhand especially after Maharashtra setback, where the party could not form the government. The party had launched the campaign with a tag line ‘Abki bar, 65 par’ aspiring to win 65 seats. But, going by exit polls results the target looks improbable. The BJP had won 37 seats in the outgoing assembly.
India Today-Axis My India survey, which has been close to final figures in last few exit polls, had predicted return of JMM-Congress alliance to power whereas others predicted a close fight.
The incumbent Chief Minister Raghubar Das, who is the first Chief Minister to complete five year term, is keeping his fingers crossed for his own win from Jamshedpur (east) as well as party’s victory in the State. It is believed that his former cabinet colleague Saryu Rai and Congress candidate Gourav Vallabh have given a tough fight to him in the seat.
All eyes will be on the poll outcome in two constituencies, Dumka and Barhait, from where Hemant Soren, alliance’s chief ministerial candidate, has fought. The JMM-Congress alliance has pinned hopes in 18 seats in Santhal Pargana — a traditional stronghold of the regional party. The last two phases of Jharkhand elections were held in backdrop of countrywide protest against Citizen Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens. Political pundits will surely assess its impact on the ground .
In the event of hung assembly, smaller regional parties like All Jharkhand Students Union and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) are likely to play crucial roles. Party leaders, Sudesh Mahto and Babulal Marandi, are, however, expecting good news on personal front as they have already lost three and four consecutive elections.
