Jharkhand Election Results 2019: Raghubar Das is leading in Jamshedpur seat. (File)
The ruling BJP in Jharkhand appeared to struggle in a close fight with the rival Congress-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) alliance as votes were counted on Monday in Jharkhand, a state mostly ruled by the BJP since it was carved out of Bihar in 2000.
Jharkhand is the third BJP-ruled state that voted this year after the national election, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi won a resounding mandate to continue for a second term. It is critical for the BJP to retain the state after losing power in Maharashtra, where its decades-old alliance with the Shiv Sena also collapsed.
In Jharkhand, the BJP has also lost the All Jharkhand Students' Union (AJSU), with which it had an alliance.
It is a challenging prospect for Chief Minister Raghubar Das, who is contesting against his own party rebel Saryu Rai. No Chief Minister of the state has ever won consecutive polls.
Raghubar Das is trailing in Jamshedpur East, a seat that he has been winning since 1995.
Mr Das's five-year term has been a chequered one. As a non-tribal in the largely tribal state, he has not been very popular. The party ranks have been disenchanted with his style of working.
At least three exit polls have predicted that the BJP faces a tough fight in the 81-member Jharkhand assembly. Any party needs 41 to win.
If the tight race continues, Jharkhand may be staring at a hung assembly. In that scenario, either the Babulal Marandi-led Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) or AJSU could emerge as king-makers.
AJSU is contesting in 52 of the 81 seats.
In 2014, the BJP and AJSU alliance won 42 seats, but Sudesh Mahto, who led AJSU in those polls, decided to go it alone this time. He is contesting again this time after losing the 2014 state polls. He is leading in the Silli seat, where he contested.
On the other hand, JMM chief Hemant Soren is also confident of forming government with the Congress and RJD. He contested from Dumka and Barhet.
In Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, BJP bagged 11 seats out of 14 in the state.