As the counting for the 2024 Jharkhand and Maharashtra Assembly elections commenced on Saturday, the JMM-led Mahagathbandhan alliance surged ahead in early trends, securing a lead in 50 of the 81 Jharkhand Assembly seats, crossing the halfway mark by 10:40 AM, according to the Election Commission of India.
JMM Alliance Leads In Early Trends
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) emerged as the front-runner within the Mahagathbandhan, leading on 30 seats, while Congress followed with 14 seats, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had 5, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) – CPI(ML)(L) secured 1 seat.
Early trends suggest that the Mahagathbandhan is likely for a strong showing, with the alliance aiming for a significant win in this election.
BJP-Led NDA Trails Behind
On the other hand, the BJP-led NDA, which includes allies AJSU, JD(U), and LJP, is currently trailing with 28 seats. Of these, the BJP leads in 24, AJSU in 2, while JD(U) and LJP have one seat each.
Additionally, Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM), a new player in this election, has made a notable early impact, leading on two seats – Jugsalai and Dumri. An independent candidate is also in the lead on the Panki seat.
These early leads indicate the potential influence of smaller parties in shaping the election results.
Initial Trends Spark Optimism Among Congress Leaders
Congress leader Rajesh Thakur expressed confidence in the results as early trends showed positive developments for the alliance. He pointed out that the margin in favor of the Mahagathbandhan was steadily increasing.
“The trends will change in the results. The trends are coming out well and the margins seem to be increasing continuously. Whether it is a matter of waiving the loans of farmers or providing free electricity for 200 units, the reward will now be visible in the result. BJP has tried again and again to do such politics, when necessary, they tried to loot the government’s majority by sending the Chief Minister to jail. We have worked to eliminate all the efforts made by the BJP. Even if someone tries like this in the future, they will not be spared, he said.”
Polls & Voter Engagement
The first phase of voting in Jharkhand, which covered 43 of the 81 constituencies, took place on 13 November.
The contest is between the JMM-led alliance, which includes Congress, RJD, and CPI(ML), and the BJP-led NDA.
According to exit polls, the NDA was expected to win between 42-47 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan was projected to secure 25-30 seats.
Voter turnout in Jharkhand was at 68.45%, surpassing the 65% recorded during the 2019 elections. In the 2019 elections, the JMM won 30 seats, BJP 25, and Congress 16 seats.
Bypolls & National Stakes
In addition to the Jharkhand Assembly election, the counting also includes results from bypolls held in 48 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha constituencies across 15 states, further adding to the political significance of the day.
The Election Commission will declare the final results for all 81 constituencies in Jharkhand, along with those for Maharashtra and the bypolls, throughout the day.
Also Read: Mahayuti Alliance Surges Ahead In Maharashtra; MVA Trails In Initial Trends
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