2024 will be a politically charged year for Jharkhand which will witness Lok Sabha elections in the summer and assembly elections during October-November. The ruling JMM-Congress in Jharkhand has witnessed political turbulence over the last few weeks after the resignation of chief minister Hemant Soren following his arrest in a money laundering case. The BJP is looking to further improve its performance of the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, especially with the ruling alliance on the backfoot.
Jharkhand, which was carved out of Bihar in 2000, sends 14 members to the lower house and is a politically crucial state especially due to its large tribal population.
Past results
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 12 out of the 14 seats in the state with a vote share of 40%. Meanwhile, the JMM bagged just 2 seats while Congress drew a blank.
Party performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls
| Party | Seat share | Vote share (in %) |
| BJP | 11 | 51 |
| JMM | 1 | 11.5 |
| Cong | 1 | 15.6 |
| AJSU | 1 | 4.4 |
In the 2019 elections, the BJP-led NDA repeated its performance. The saffron party won 11 seats while its alliance partner All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) won 1. The JMM and Congress, who were part of the UPA, won one seat apiece.
Constituencies
Jharkhand comprises 14 constituencies, out of which five are reserved for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Tribes and one is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates.
These are the following constituencies in the state: Rajmahal (ST), Dumka (ST), Godda, Chatra, Kodarma, Giridih, Dhanbad, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Singhbhum (ST), Khunti (ST), Lohardaga (ST), Palamau (SC), Hazaribagh.
Key parties and what to expect
The BJP and JMM are currently the two dominant parties in Jharkhand. The JMM is part of the Congress-led UPA. Over the years, the Sudesh Mahto-led All Jharkhand Students Union or AJSU party has also emerged as a key political player in Jharkhand. AJSU is currently a part of the BJP-led NDA alliance.
The general election is being held in the wake of political instability in the state due to the arrest of Soren. The JMM chairperson was replaced by Champai Soren, whose coalition government managed to hold on to power after winning the floor test in February. However, the government has remained on the edge due to discontent among the Congress MLAs after the recent Cabinet expansion.
The BJP has labled the ruling alliance as corrupt and "anti-poor", with PM Modi coining a new acronym for JMM: "jam kar ke khao". The saffron party is hoping to use the anti-incumbency factor to build on its gains and also boost its prospects for the assembly elections slated for later this year.
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