The second and final phase of voting for the Jharkhand Assembly elections is taking place today, with all eyes now set on the exit poll results that will be revealed after 6:30 PM. In line with the Representation of the People Act, 1951, exit polls are prohibited from being shared until 30 minutes after the polling has concluded.
This year's election for the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly is seeing intense competition. The ruling JMM-led INDIA alliance is focused on retaining power, promising welfare-driven policies, while the BJP-led NDA is keen to make a strong comeback. The first phase of voting wrapped up on November 13, and the final results are expected to be declared on November 23.
Barhait: Current Chief Minister Hemant Soren of the JMM faces a strong challenge from BJP’s Gamaliyel Hembrom. Soren, who has won here twice before (2014, 2019), aims to retain his hold on this key constituency.
Gandey: In a political family showdown, Hemant Soren’s wife, Kalpana Soren (JMM), takes on BJP’s Muniya Devi. Kalpana secured the seat in the 2024 by-election with a decisive 1,09,827 votes, defeating BJP’s Dilip Verma.
Dumka: A crucial contest sees JMM’s Basant Soren, Hemant Soren’s brother, facing BJP’s Sunil Soren. Basant won the seat in the 2020 by-election with 80,559 votes, making this an important battle.
Ranchi: The state capital is set for a high-profile clash as JMM’s Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji takes on BJP’s incumbent CP Singh in a high-stakes contest.
How Accurate Were the 2019 Jharkhand Exit Polls?
Looking back at the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly elections, exit polls offered a general sense of the political landscape but missed the mark on predicting precise seat numbers. For instance, the India Today-Axis survey estimated that the opposition alliance could win between 38-50 seats, while the BJP was forecasted to win 22-32 seats.
However, the actual results showed a different story. The JMM emerged as the largest party, securing 30 seats, with the BJP winning 25. The Congress took 16 seats, while smaller parties like the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) and the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) secured 3 and 2 seats, respectively. Ultimately, the JMM formed a government with support from the Congress and the RJD, sealing the opposition alliance's victory in the state.
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