The Congress-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha alliance is likely to win maximum number of seats in the Jharkhand assembly election, NDTV's Poll of Exit Polls, an aggregate of exit polls, predicted on Friday. The alliance is likely to win 40 seats, the poll said, adding the BJP may win 29 seats. Other parties will win 12 seats, it predicted. Polling ended in 16 Assembly constituencies that went to polls on Friday during the fifth and final phase of Jharkhand elections, officials said. An estimated 70.83 per cent of the total 40.05 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm when the polling ended, Election Commission officials said.
Voting began at 7 am and ended at 3 pm in Borio, Barhait, Litipara, Maheshpur and Sikaripara districts, while it continued till 5 pm in the rest of the constituencies. An electorate of 40,05,287 citizens, including 19,55,336 female and 30 third gender voters, are eligible to choose from 237 candidates who are contesting today. This includes 29 women nominees, across the 16 seats, the Election Commission said. From the heavyweights contesting the polls today are Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's Hemant Soren, who has stoked a huge controversy after he alleged that people wearing "saffron robes" were robbing honour of women. The BJP has hit back with a complaint to the Election Commission. The result for all five phases will be declared on December 23.