Jharkhand Election Results: Hemant Soren's JMM is poised to form government again.
As the JMM-led INDIA bloc crossed the majority mark in the Jharkhand Assembly elections, Chief Minister Hemant Soren took to social media to share a photograph of him and his children. The JMM chief and his wife Kalpana Soren are parents to two boys. Sharing a picture of his two sons, he wrote, "My strength."
The ruling JMM-led alliance - which includes the Congress and the RJD - under Mr Soren's leadership, appears poised to secure a majority in the 81-member Assembly, as per the latest Election Commission data. With leads in 51 seats, the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance seems to have effectively countered the BJP-led NDA, which was ahead in 29 constituencies.
The BJP entered the fray with aggressive campaigning, focusing on issues such as "infiltrators" in the Santhal Parganas region. However, this narrative appears to have been overshadowed by the JMM's emphasis on tribal identity and local pride, particularly amidst controversies surrounding Mr Soren's legal battles and allegations of corruption.
According to the latest trends, the JMM was leading in 31 seats, the Congress in 14, and the RJD in four. The BJP held 26 leads, while smaller parties, including the AJSU Party and LJP (Ram Vilas), were ahead in a few scattered constituencies.
Key figures in the race include BJP state president Babulal Marandi, who maintained a lead in Dhanwar, and Congress heavyweight Rameshwar Oraon, who led in Lohardaga. On the JMM front, Mr Soren himself held a comfortable lead in Barhait, while his wife, Kalpana Soren, was trailing in Gandey.
The elections saw a record voter turnout of 67.74%, the highest since Jharkhand's formation in 2000. Held in two phases on November 13 and 20, the polls reflected a deeply divided electorate. Exit polls had predicted a range of outcomes, with some forecasting a clear NDA win, while others saw the JMM-led bloc emerging victorious.
The JMM's steady climb in the early hours of counting, despite a BJP surge, highlights the shifting dynamics of Jharkhand's political landscape. The party's grassroots connections, coupled with its emphasis on tribal rights and welfare, seem to have paid dividends against the BJP's focus on national issues.
As counting progresses, the INDIA bloc appears confident of crossing the majority mark of 41 seats. If the trends hold, Hemant Soren is set to return as Chief Minister, buoyed by what he has described as the "strength" drawn not just from his family but also from the people of Jharkhand.