Jharkhand heading for hung Assembly; Congress alliance leads in counting - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

As per the latest reports, the Jharkhand assembly is heading for a hung verdict with no single alliance getting a clear majority. The biggest concern that has come to the fore is whether Jharkhand will have a stable government this time. The Congress alliance now leads with 24 seats in the election for the 81-member House, while the BJP alliance leads in 21 seats at present. Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda's wife has emerged the winner from the Jagannathpur assembly seat. Madhu Koda is facing corruption and money laundering charges. The fates of former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi of Congress, former Deputy chief minister Sudhir Mahto of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee chief Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu, and BJP state unit president Raghubar Das would be known once the counting is over. BJP and its ally JD (U) contested all the 81 seats as also the Congress in alliance with Babulal Marandi's Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM). RJD has an alliance with the Ramvilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), CPI, CPI (M) and Marxist Coordination Committee (MCC). Shibu Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha contested 79 seats and is not a part of any alliance. Jharkhand polls witnessed a 58 percent voter turnout despite Maoist threat. The counting of votes is expected to finally bring an end to the President's rule in the State. Meanwhile, the newly appointed president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Nitin Gadkari has reached the BJP office in New Delhi and there are reports that a discussion on the BJP's position in the ongoing counting for Jharkhand polls may be discussed.