Jharkhand Assembly Polls 2024: JMM leads, set to retain power

Ranchi: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) appears poised to retain power in Jharkhand as vote counting for the state assembly elections continues. According to early trends from the Election Commission of India, the JMM has crossed the halfway mark, leading in 31 of the 81 assembly seats. Chief Minister Hemant Soren is ahead in Barhait, while his wife Kalpana Soren is trailing in Gandey.

The elections, held in two phases on November 13 and 20, witnessed an impressive voter turnout of 67.74 percent. The second phase saw slightly higher participation, with 68.95 percent of voters casting their ballots.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trailing behind the JMM, with leads in 24 constituencies. The Indian National Congress (INC), JMM’s key ally, is ahead in 16 seats, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has leads in five. Smaller parties and independents, including AJSU Party (1), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (1), Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (1), CPI(ML)(L) (1), and JD(U) (1), are also showing gains in their respective constituencies.

This election is a crucial test for the Hemant Soren-led government, which faces challenges from the BJP and other opposition parties. The strong voter turnout underscores the high stakes in this election for the political future of Jharkhand.

As counting progresses, all eyes remain on key constituencies and the final tally, which will determine whether the JMM-led alliance retains its mandate.