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‘No party is untouchable’, says aspiring kingmaker Babulal Marandi
The counting of votes began at 8 am in all the 24 district headquarters. The results are expected to be out by afternoon.
Jharkhand is waiting for the results of the Assembly elections to see who leads the government in the state for the next five years. But the see-saw battle between the two main opponents - the ruling BJP and JMM-led alliance - is giving the electorate some anxious moments.
Follow Jharkhand election results live updates here.
The exit polls last week gave the JMM-led alliance an edge over the BJP, but most of them predicted a hung assembly. If that indeed is the scenario, Babulal Marandi-led Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) or Sudesh Mahto-led All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), could emerge as king-makers.
As per trends at 11 am, the BJP is leading on 28 and Congress-JMM-RJD alliance is in 39 seats. The AJSU and the JVM are leading on five and five seats respectively.
Watch l Babulal Marandi on whether JVM(P) will support BJP or JMM in Jharkhand
Sources in the BJP say that the party is in touch with Marandi and the AJSU for a possible tie-up if hung house becomes reality. “In politics no party is untouchable,” Marandi told reporters.
Asked about supporting Congress or BJP in government formation, Marandi said, “Let the final results come out. The mandate of people should be accepted.”
Chief Minister Raghubar Das is leading from Jamshedpur East seat, while AJSU president Sudesh Mahto is leading from Silli and JVM-P president Babulkal Marandi is ahead on Dhanwar seat.
The alliance chief ministerial candidate Hemant Soren is trailing from Dumka and leading from Barhet assembly seats.
The counting of votes began at 8 am in all the 24 district headquarters. The results are expected to be out by afternoon.
The maximum rounds of counting will take place at Chatra with 28 rounds and the lowest will be two rounds in Chandankiyari and Taropa assembly seats.
In 2014, the BJP and AJSU alliance won 42 seats, but Sudesh Mahto, who led the AJSU in the polls, decided to jump into the Jharkhand battleground alone, without his old ally.
