Chief Minister Heman Soren's led INDIA bloc has crossed the majority mark in Jharkhand. The INDIA bloc is leading on 49 seats, higher than the majority mark. The NDA, on the other hand, is ahead on just 30, while others are leading on 2 seats.
All eyes are on the outcomes of constituencies like Barhait (Hemant Soren), Gandey (Kalpana Soren), Seraikela (Champai Soren), and Dhanwar (Babulal Marandi). The final results will determine whether the NDA succeeds in dethroning Hemant Soren or if the JMM-led INDIA bloc retains power in Jharkhand.
Kalpana Soren is trailing in Gandey, while Champai Soren is leading in Seraikela.
The elections, held in two phases on November 13 and 20, witnessed a record voter turnout of 67.74%, the highest since Jharkhand's formation on November 15, 2000. The first phase covered 43 constituencies, while the second phase saw voting in 38.
The JMM-led coalition is seeking to retain power, while the BJP-led NDA is making a concerted push to regain control. Exit polls are divided, with some projecting a victory for the INDIA bloc and others favoring the NDA.
Key constituencies and leaders in the fray
Chief Minister Hemant Soren contested from Barhait, while his wife Kalpana Soren stood from Gandey. BJP Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri contested from Chandankiyari. Other notable candidates include BJP's Babulal Marandi in Dhanwar, Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato of JMM in Nala, Congress' Deepika Pandey Singh in Mahagama, and Sita Soren of JMM in Jamtara.
AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto contested from Silli, and former Chief Minister Champai Soren represented Seraikela. In total, 1,211 candidates vied for 81 seats, with 28 reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and nine for Scheduled Castes (SC).
In the 2019 assembly elections, the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance secured a majority with 47 seats, with JMM alone winning 30. The BJP, which had won 37 seats in 2014, dropped to 25 in 2019. The JMM dominated ST-reserved seats, winning 19 of the 28, while BJP secured two.
This year, the BJP has fielded candidates in 68 seats, with allies AJSU Party contesting 10, JD(U) two, and Lok Janshakti (Ram Vilas) one. On the INDIA bloc side, JMM is contesting 43 seats, Congress 30, RJD six, and CPI(ML) four, with friendly contests in some constituencies.
The NDA ran a campaign centered on alleged corruption and infiltration under the JMM-led coalition, highlighting Chief Minister Hemant Soren's legal troubles. Soren, out on bail in a money-laundering case, spent five months in jail earlier this year. The BJP made the removal of Champai Soren as chief minister a significant issue, framing it as an insult to tribal leadership.
The ruling coalition countered by accusing the BJP of using central agencies like the ED and CBI to target opposition leaders and alleging that over Rs 500 crore was spent on defaming Hemant Soren. Welfare schemes and tribal empowerment formed the core of the JMM-led coalition’s outreach.