JMM-Congress alliance nears victory in Jharkhand Assembly polls.
Key Points:
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JMM-led alliance leads in 50 seats, BJP in 29.
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Record voter turnout at 67.74% since state formation.
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Counting expected to conclude by 4 PM.
RANCHI – The Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) alliance, supported by the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), is on the verge of retaining power in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly.
The alliance has taken a lead in 50 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is trailing with leads in 29 constituencies.
The BJP’s campaign centered on removing "infiltrators" from the Santhal Pargana region but was eclipsed by the JMM’s strategic focus on tribal identity and widespread sympathy for Chief Minister Hemant Soren following his recent arrest.
As per the Election Commission’s latest data, JMM is ahead in 31 seats, Congress in 14, and RJD in four, while one seat is led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation.
The BJP leads in 26 seats, while its allies—the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) Party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and Janata Dal (United)—are leading in one seat each.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren holds a commanding lead of over 17,000 votes in Barhait. However, his wife, Kalpana Soren, is trailing in Gandey.
BJP’s state president Babulal Marandi is ahead in Dhanwar, while former Chief Minister Champai Soren is close to victory in Seraikela. Opposition leader Amar Kumar Bauri is trailing in Chandankiyari.
In Jamshedpur West, Congress minister Banna Gupta is behind JDU’s Saryu Roy. Meanwhile, BJP’s C.P. Singh leads against JMM’s Mahua Maji in Ranchi.
The RJD, which won only one seat in 2019, is leading in four constituencies this time.
The two-phase elections, held on November 13 and 20, recorded a turnout of 67.74%, the highest since Jharkhand’s formation in 2000.
Chief Electoral Officer K. Ravi Kumar has stated that the counting process is expected to conclude by 4 PM.
