Elections in Jharkhand were held in five phases starting November 30 (File)
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's alliance with the Congress may just dethrone the BJP government headed by Raghubar Das in Jharkhand in the recently concluded Jharkhand elections, exit polls indicated on Friday. Two exit polls have predicted the JMM-Congress alliance may cross the majority mark at 41.
A poll of three exit polls has predicted the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress will get 40 seats - the halfway mark - while the BJP will get 29 seats.
In 2014, the BJP had won 37 seats and its ally, the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), won five, taking the NDA past the majority mark. The BJP's dominant performance also saw it reduce the Congress to just six seats.
Health warning: Exit polls do not always get it right.
The ABP News-IANS-C Voter predicts the JMM-Congress combine will get 35 seats, while the BJP will get 32; smaller parties will win 14 seats, the poll says.
Kashish News says the JMM-Congress can win anywhere between 37 and 49 seats, while the BJP can get between 25 and 30 seats.
The exit poll by India Today-Axis My India says JMM-Congress may get anywhere between 38 and 50 seats, while the BJP can end up with 22 to 32 seats.
In the three exit polls, the Babulal Marandi-led Jharkhand Vikas Morcha has emerged as the main gainer along with the Sudesh Mahto-led AJSU.
Elections in Jharkhand were held in five phases starting November 30, with the final phase taking place today; results will be declared on December 23.
The election is the third state poll since Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the BJP to a massive win in Lok Sabha elections in April-May. Jharkhand is also the third BJP-ruled state to hold elections this year, following Maharashtra and Haryana, which voted on October 21.