Lok Sabha election 2019: It’s NDA vs grand alliance in Jharkhand

The BJP, which had won 12 Lok Sabha seats out of 14 in the 2014 general elections in Jharkhand, will try to continue its hold on the state, which will also see the assembly polls later this year.

The tribal state of Jharkhand will see a contest between the NDA and the opposition’s grand alliance in the Lok Sabha election due in April-May.

Jharkhand will see a contest between the NDA and the opposition’s grand alliance in the Lok Sabha election due in April-May.(HT file photo)

The BJP, which had won 12 Lok Sabha seats out of 14 in the 2014 general elections in Jharkhand, will try to continue its hold on the state, which will also see the assembly polls later this year.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress have finalised the opposition’s proposed Grand Alliance against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha poll and Jharkhand assembly elections. Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) and Rashtriya Janata Dal are the other two constituents of the grand alliance envisaged in Jharkhand, in which the JMM is the largest local player.

Here is what you need to know about the numbers and names in Jharkhand:

* Ruling party/coalition in the state: BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is in power in the state since December 2014. Sudesh Mahto-led AJSU party is the ally of BJP in the state and shares power in the Raghubar Das government.

* Polling date: April 29, May 6,12,19

*Number of Lok Sabha seats in the state: 14

* Party wise break-up of Lok Sabha seats: BJP-12; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-2

* Number of voters in the state: 2.19 crore

* Voter turnout in 2014: 63.87%

* Number of assembly seats: 81

* Party-wise break-up of assembly seats: BJP: 43; JMM: 19; Congress: 9; AJSU: 4; JVM (P): 2; BSP: 1; MCC: 1; CPI (ML): 1; Independent: 1

* Key leaders across parties: Raghubar Das (BJP), Arjun Munda (BJP), Jayant Sinha (BJP), Sudershan Bhagat (BJP), Shibu Soren (JMM), Hemant Soren (JMM), Babulal Marandi (JVM-P), Ajoy Kumar (Congress), Subodh Kant Sahay (Congress), Annapurna Devi (RJD)

* Key issues:

Land acquisition

Religion conversion

Development

Maoism

Rights of tribals (26.2%), minorities (Muslims and Christians make around 14%)