BJP set to form govt in Jharkhand

Jharkhand final results:

Total 81

BJP 42

JMM 19

Cong 6

JVM 8

Others 6

Ranchi, December 23

The BJP is all set to form the next government in Jharkhand by bagging 37 seats, while its alliance partner AJSU emerged victorious in five seats.

Contesting alone, the BJP’s main rival JMM has won 19 seats. The party had contested 79 seats.

Together the BJP-AJSU alliance has won absolute majority in Jharkhand by reaching the magic figure of 42 in the 81-member house.

For the first time Jharkhand will see a majority government after witnessing governments falling like nine pins.

Prominent JMM winners are Chief Minister Hemant Soren who won from Barhait constituency, but lost from Dumka of which he is the sitting MLA.

Though the BJP is marching ahead, its heavyweight leader and three-time Chief Minister Arjun Munda lost from Kharsawan.

However, the party’s national vice-president Raghuvar Das won the Jamshedpur East seat.

BJP’s alliance partner AJSU suffered a jolt as its chief and former deputy chief minister Sudesh Mahto lost from his home turf Silli, which he had represented for 15 years.

Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) won eight seats, but its chief and Jharkhand’s first Chief Minister Babulal Marandi lost from Giridih.

He, however, is leading from Dhanwar constituency.

Former CM and Jai Bharat Samanta Party chief Madhu Koda, who was recently chargeesheeted by the CBI in the coal block allocation scam, lost the Majhgaon seat, but his wife Geeta Koda retained the Jaganthpur seat.

The Congress has won six seats. The BJP contested 72 seats while its alliance partner AJSU contested 8 seats. Another alliance partner LJP contested one seat. In the 2009 Assembly election the BJP had won 18 seats. — PTI