Counting of votes for 81 Assembly seats in Jharkhand has begun, results to be announced today

Counting of votes for 81 Assembly seats in Jharkhand will take place today. The counting has started at 8 am in all the 24 district headquarters. Postal ballots will be counted first, followed by votes of EVMs.

The maximum rounds of counting will take place at Chatra with 28 rounds and lowest round at two seats – Chandankyari and Torpa. Jawans of Central Para Military Forces are deployed at all the Counting centres.

The centre of attraction will be Jamshedpur East. Chief Minister Raghubar Das has been winning this seat since 1995. He is up against ex-cabinet colleague Saryu Rai. Saryu Rai turned rebellion after his ticket was put on hold by the party.

The other important seats are Dumka and Barhet from where JMM Executive President and former Chief Minister Hemant Soren is contesting.

Former Chief Minister and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajantarik (JVM-P) President Babulal Marandi is fighting from Dhanwar Assembly seat.

The AJSU President, who lost the 2014 Assembly poll, is trying his luck again from Silli seat.

Polling for the 81-member State Assembly took place in five phases between 30th of November and 20th of December. Both the BJP and the Congress alliance made their best efforts to attract the voters.

The BJP is hoping to retain power in the state. In 2014, the BJP had won 37 seats, while its ally AJSU secured a win in five Assembly seats. However, the Opposition Grand Alliance led by Hemant Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) which includes Congress and RJD, is hoping to unseat the BJP.