Jharkhand Exit Polls predict loss for BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party may be up for a loss in Jharkhand as per the exit polls. Elections were held for its 81-seat assembly recently in the state. Exit polls have predicted that the BJP may fall short of reaching the half-way mark in the state. The forecast suggests that BJP would win only 22-32 seats in the Jharkhand assembly, where a party needs at least 41 seats to win. The Congress-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha alliance is going to win 38-50 seats.

The AJSU Party could win 3-5 seats, the RJD 2-4 and JVM 2-4 said the polls.

In terms of vote share, the BJP is not as far behind. The survey suggests that BJP is likely to get a vote share of 34 per cent, while Congress-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha alliance is likely to sweep 37 per cent votes. The AJSU Party is forecasted to bag nine per cent votes and the JVM six. Others are likely to get the rest 14 per cent.

Standing in the BJP's way in Jharkhand is an alliance between the Congress, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Having faced losses in the general election, the Congress, too, will be hungry for success. It has been a runner-up in all six state elections held since its December 2018 triumphs (it won zero seats in Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh) -- though it was one of two opposition parties that joined forces with the Shiv Sena to form a government in Maharashtra.

Other players to keep an eye on are the AJSU (All Jharkhand Students Union) party -- until recently a BJP ally -- and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi's Jharkhand Vikas Morcha.

Polling in Jharkhand was held in five phases, starting on November 30 and ending today. Votes will be counted on Monday, December 23.