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Jharkhand Exit Poll 2024: According to the Matrize exit poll, the NDA is likely to get between 42-47 seats while the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition is expected to win around 25-30 with others clinching between one to four seats
The BJP has targeted chief minister Hemant Soren who spent five months in jail in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. (PTI)
Jharkhand Exit Poll Results 2024: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA is expected to sweep Jharkhand in a blow for Hemant Soren’s JMM if exit polls are to be believed. According to the Matrize exit poll, the NDA is likely to get between 42-47 seats while the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition is expected to win around 25-30 with others clinching between one to four seats in the Jharkhand election.
Wednesday saw the second and final round of the electoral battle which will see the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition try and retain the Soren turf as the BJP-led NDA tries to wrest it.
The state saw a high-decibel campaign during which the NDA trained guns on the JMM-led coalition over alleged infiltration from Bangladesh and corruption of leaders, including the chief minister who is currently out on bail. The BJP-led alliance also raised the issue of Hindutva. Meanwhile, the JMM-led ruling dispensation sought to woo voters by promising welfare schemes and accusing BJP of spending Rs 500 crore in “malicious campaigns” against a “tribal leader”.
Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP present JP Nadda and chief ministers of several states have hit out at Soren who spent five months in jail in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.
They also made the removal of “temporary” chief minister Champai Soren a major poll plank, claiming that the JMM had insulted a tribal. Champai Soren later joined the BJP and is contesting the assembly election.
There are 28 reserved seats for ST candidates and nine for SC contestants. Of the SC seats, JMM won 2, BJP 6 and RJD 1 in the 2019 polls. In ST reserved seats, JMM was victorious in 19, Congress in 6, BJP 2 and JVM(P) 1.
This time, as far as NDA is concerned, BJP has fielded candidates in 68 seats while allies AJSU Party in 10, JD(U) in two and Lok Janshakti (Ram Vilas) in one. Of the INDIA bloc, JMM has fielded candidates in 43 seats, Congress 30, RJD 6 and CPI(ML) 4 with friendly fights on some seats.
In the 2019 assembly elections, the contest was close, with the JMM winning 30 seats and the BJP securing 25, down from 37 in 2014. The JMM-Congress-RJD alliance won a comfortable majority with 47 seats.
WHAT DID 2019 EXIT POLLS SAY?
In 2019, the India Today-Axis My India threw its weight behind the JMM-Congress-led UPA, saying UPA would win 43 seats, whereas the BJP would win 27.
ABP-Voter predicted a hung assembly, adding that UPA would win 35 seats whereas BJP would win 32 seats. Times Now, meanwhile, predicted 44 seats for the UPA and 28 for the BJP.
VOLATILE POLITICAL HISTORY
Jharkhand, which was carved out in 2000, has seen 13 chief ministers in a span of 24 years, revealing the tumultuous political journey of the state. The state has seen seven chief ministers of which only Raghubar Das completed a full five-year term without interruption. Jharkhand has also been witness to three different instances of President’s Rule.
The state saw skirmishes this year too when chief minister Hemant Soren was forced to resign after he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to alleged land fraud.
The JMM picked Champai Soren as the chief minister in Hemant Soren’s absence. However, forced to vacate the CM’s chair after Hemant Soren was released on bail, an irate Champai jumped ship to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as Hemant Soren was sworn in as the 13th chief minister.
