Jharkhand Election 2024 Result LIVE: NDA Leads In Early Trends; Jairam Mahto, Lois Marandi Trailing

Counting of voting in Jharkhand has begun with bad news for Jairam Mahto, a prominent leader in Jharkhand's Bermo constituency.

He is currently trailing behind INC’s Kumar Jaimangal in the vote count for the 2024 Assembly elections. mahto’s association with the BJP started in college with his work for the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) Party, a BJP ally. He has campaigned on issues such as education, local employment, and tribal rights.

If this trend continues, it will be a setback for the BJP as Mahto had in the 2020 Assembly by-elections secured Bermo despite it being a historically Congress-stronghold.

"I am fully confident... I am winning from Ranchi. JMM and INDIA alliance will form government in Jharkhand," says JMM candidate from Ranchi seat Mahua Maji.

Maiya Samman Yojna (JMM) - The Jharkhand Chief Minister Maiya Samman Yojana provides financial assistance to women in the Antyodaya category. Under this scheme, women receive an annual amount of Rs 12,000, paid monthly as Rs 1,000. The government aims to support women from economically weaker sections through this initiative.

Gogo Didi Yojna (BJP) -  The BJP promised the Gogo Didi scheme, assuring Rs 2,100 per month to all women in the state. The party has further mentioned that they plan to transfer the money to beneficiaries from the first month if they come to power.

The Jharkhand assembly elections of 2024 saw many key alliances clash over political ideologies. The INDIA bloc, led by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) with Hemant Soren as its chief ministerial candidate, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are expected to garner most of the votes.

Some Exit Polls predicted a BJP-NDA sweep, while others, like Axis My India, said the INDIA bloc would manage to hold the state.

Early counting updates show that the BJP has a massive lead of 26. However, with a voter turnout of 67.59% in the final phase, the outcome remains uncertain.

Outlook's Asghar Khan reported from Ranchi when the assembly elections for Jharkhand kicked off. As per the schedule issued by the Election Commission, polling was held in two phases. In the first phase, voting took place in 43 assembly seats out of 81. The next phase was on November 20 for the remaining 38 seats.

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Counting begins across all 81 constituencies in Jharkhand. Results will be declared by the Election Commission of India (ECI) by the end of the day. The elections were held in two phases - November 13 and 20. The first round of polls covered 43 constituencies, while the second and final phase saw voting in 38 seats.

Security measures have been beefed up amid the arrival of polling officials at a counting center in Jamshedpur. Vote counting is set to begin from 8 AM on Saturday.

Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president JP Nadda, and chief ministers of several states, addressed extensive rallies in Jharkhand.

On the other hand, prominent INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, and his wife and legislator Kalpana Soren, also campaigned extensively.

In Photos| Jharkhand Elections 2024: Hemant Soren, Modi And Kharge Carry Out Campaigns Ahead Of Assembly Polls

Outlook spoke with Sudesh Mahto about the challenges of the triangular fight in the Jharkhand elections. Priorities discussed include local governance, administrative reforms, and development. Concerns about the party’s limited influence in the Chotanagpur region were addressed, along with plans to expand its reach. The focus remained on transparency, tackling regional issues, and envisioning growth for Jharkhand.

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While carrying out extensive poll rallies in the state ahead of the elections, the NDA attacked the JMM-led coalition over corruption and infiltration while criticising ruling party leaders, including chief minister Hemant Soren, who was arrested by the Enforecement Directorate (ED) in a land scam case and currently is out on bail.

On the other hand, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) tried wooing voters with promises of welfare schemes and accusations against the BJP-led Centre for "unleashing" the ED and CBI against rival parties. Hemant Soren has also hit out at the saffron camp, alleging that the opposition party spent over Rs 500 crore on "malicious campaigns" against him.

As the protruding tongue, stomping feet and thumping claps sang paeans to the rights of the indigenous population in New Zealand, the dream of a Santhal or an Oraon flexing bow and arrow on the floor of the Indian Parliament remains a distant dream. What comes as an alternative is mere symbolism—the occasional nomination of an Adivasi as the President or the renaming of some chowks.

Coming a week before the results of the Assembly polls, the renaming of the Delhi chowk seems to have a broader political relevance. Jharkhand has 26 per cent Adivasi population. Since the formation of the state, Adivasis have played a formidable role in determining the fate of political parties. In 2019, when the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led coalition came to power, they won 25 out of the 28 reserved ST seats. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as well, the ruling alliance maintained its tally and won all the five ST-reserved Lok Sabha constituencies.

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While Chief Minister Hemant Soren contested from Barhait, JMM fielded his wife Kalpana from Gandey. The Leader of the Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri (BJP) contested from Chandankiyari.

Other prominent leaders included Jairam Mahto from Dumri and Bermo, JMM turncoat Sita Soren (BJP) from Jamtara, Deepika Pandey Singh of Congress from Mahagama, AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto from Silli, and former chief minister Champai Soren from Seraikela.

ALSO READ | From Sorens To Marandis: Know About The Bigwigs Of Jharkhand Elections

The stage is all set for the much awaited results of assembly elections that took place in two phases on November 13 and November 20.

The battle of ballots in Jharkhand is a showdown between the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led INDIA bloc and BJP-led NDA with the former seeking to retain power and the latter attempting to oust them.

A total of 1,211 candidates are in the fray, including several bigwigs such as CM Hemant Soren, Kalpana Soren, Sita Soren, Champai Soren, Jairam Mahto, Babulal Marandi, Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato and several others.

ALSO READ: Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024: Know About The Key Constituencies