Jharkhand Assembly Election: A look at how various regions voted in 2014

Jharkhand Chief Minister and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, Raghubar Das said the trends, showing JMM-Congress-RJD opposition alliance is leading, is not the final word and assured that the BJP will form the government in the state. (Image: PTI)

Jharkhand is polling to elect a fresh Legislative Assembly. Elections are being held for all of the state legislature’s 81 seats.

Voters in Jharkhand are heading for polls in five phases starting November 30. The fifth and last phase will be held on December 20. Counting of votes will happen on December 23.

According to data released by the Election Commission, Jharkhand has a total of 2.26 crore eligible voters. The number of polling stations that are being used by voters across the state is 29,464. This number is 19 percent higher than in 2014.

Raghubar Das, Jharkhand’s only chief minister to complete a tenure, is leading the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s campaign to retain power.

Also read: CM Raghubar Das faces ex-Cabinet colleague Saryu Roy in Jamshedpur East

Political experts suggest that the BJP might be facing severe headwind in Jharkhand, especially after its performance in Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly polls. In Haryana, the party failed to get majority on its own and had to forge a post-poll coalition with Dushyant Chautala’s Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). In Maharashtra, it was dumped by one of its oldest allies, the Shiv Sena, to form a government with rivals Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), after a month-long tussle.

Some of the factors that may have resulted in BJP’s under-par performance in Haryana and Maharashtra are also applicable in Jharkhand.

The saffron party is being challenged by an alliance comprising former chief minister Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the Indian National Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

BJP’s long-time ally, the All Jharkhand Student's Union (AJSU), is contesting this election separately. Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) is also contesting alone.

The BJP is therefore running a serious campaign to hold on to the gains it had made in 2014 during the ‘Narendra Modi wave’.

Here’s how various regions of Jharkhand had voted in 2014:

We have divided the state into five administrative divisions: Santhal Pargana, North Chhotanagpur, Kolhan, South Chhotanagpur and Palamu.

Santhal Pargana

This division comprises Assembly constituencies from six districts: Sahebganj, Pakur, Dumka, Jamtara, Deoghar and Godda.

Of the 18 constituencies here, the BJP had won seven. JMM and Congress won six and three, respectively. JVM had won two.

BJP had won just one in this region in 2009. Its rise in 2014 came at the expense of Congress and JMM.

North Chhotanagpur

This region comprises Assembly constituencies from seven districts: Koderma, Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, Chatra, Giridih, Bokaro and Dhanbad.

BJP had won just one of the 25 seat in this region in 2009. However, in 2014, its tally jumped to 13. Just like in the Santhal Pargana region, BJP’s rise came mainly at the expense of Congress and JVM.

It was also able to win Hazaribagh, Dhanbad and Bokaro seats for the first time in the state.

South Chhotanagpur

This division comprises Assembly constituencies from five districts: Ranchi, Khunti, Gumla, Simdega and Lohardaga.

The BJP-AJSU alliance emerged as the dominant force in this region. Of the 15 seats here, BJP and AJSU together won 10. These included seats in the state capital Ranchi.

Kolhan

This region comprises Assembly constituencies from three districts: East Singhbhum, Seraikella-Kharsawan and West Singhbhum.

BJP’s tally in this region fell from six in 2009 to five in 2014. While it gained three seats from Congress and JVM, it lost four seats had held to the JMM.

The saffron party also won both seats in Jamshedpur.

Palamu

This area comprises Assembly constituencies from three districts: Latehar, Palamu and Garhwa.

BJP won four of the nine seats here. The JVM and the Congress won two and one seat, respectively.

Navjawan Sangharsh Morcha (NSAM) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won one seat, each.

Jharkhand Assembly election 2019: For the latest news, views and updates, click here