Jharkhand polls: JMM-led INDIA bloc leading in 48 seats, NDA ahead in 28

Ranchi: The JMM-led INDIA bloc was leading in 48 of the 81 assembly seats in Jharkhand while the BJP-headed NDA was ahead in 28 as the counting of votes was underway on Saturday, according to trends available on the Election Commission's website.

Counting of votes began at 8 AM.

According to the trends , the INDIA bloc was leading in 48, the NDA in 28 and an independent and JLKM in two seats each till 10.50 AM.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren was leading in Barhait assembly constituency by a margin of 4,921 votes over BJP’s Gamliyel Hembrom after the second round of counting.

BJP state chief Babulal Marandi was leading by 5,102 votes over CPIML’s Rajkumar Yadav after second round of counting.

JMM candidate and Minister Bebi Devi was leading by 3,315 votes over JKLM’s Jairam Mahto in Dumri assembly seat after third round of counting.

Congress Minister Banna Gupta was trailing by a margin of 7,788 votes against JDU’s Saryu Roy in Jamshedpur West seat after second round of counting.

NDA ally AJSU Party supremo Sudesh Mahto was trailing by 3,998 votes against JMM's Amit Kumar in Silli after the second round of counting.

In Jaganathpur, former MP and BJP nominee Geeta Kora was trailing by 4,982 votes against Congress' Sonaram Sinku.

JMM's Ramsurya Munda in Khunti was leading by 3,492 votes over BJP's Neelkanth Singh Munda.

Former CM and BJP nominee Champai Soren, who was trailing by 2,986 votes in Seraikela against JMM's Ganesh Mahli after first round, was leading by 856 votes in the second round.

In Bermo, Kumar Jaimangal Singh of the Congress, who was leading by a margin of 3,610 votes after first round over his nearest rival Ravindra Pandey of the BJP, was trailing by 608 votes after the fourth round.

Congress minister Rameshwar Oraon was ahead in Lohardaga by 3,461 votes over AJSU Party's Niru Shanti Bhagat after the third round of counting.

The results will decide the electoral fate of a total of 1,211 candidates, including Chief Minister Hemant Soren who contested from Barhait, his wife Kalpana from Gandey, former CM and BJP state president Babulal Marandi from Dhanwar and ex-CM Champai Soren from Seraikela.

Other prominent candidates include Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato of the JMM from Nala, Deepika Pandey Singh of Congress from Mahagama, Sita Soren (sister-in-law of CM Hemant Soren) from Jamtara, AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto from Silli.

Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar said the counting is underway amid tight security arrangements and is likely to be completed by 4 PM.

This elections, the voter turnout touched 67.74 per cent, the highest since the formation of Jharkhand on November 15, 2000.

The elections were held in two phases - November 13 and 20.

Forty-three seats went to polls in the first round and 38 in the second.