Exit polls predict advantage Hemant, second term likely to elude Raghubar

Ranchi: Though the counting of votes is slated for Monday, the exit polls after the end of Assembly Elections in Jharkhand have given the Mahagathbandhan, comprising the JMM, Congress and RJD, reasons to smile, with predictions indicating a Hemant Soren-led government in the state and exit for incumbent Raghubar Das.

In the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, a party or coalition has to capture at least 41 seats to claim the thrown in this mineral rich state.According to the exit poll survey conducted by Aaj Tak-Axis My India, the BJP is likely to get 22-32 seats while the Mahagathbandhan to win between 38-52 seats. 

In the same survey, the JVM-P led by Babulal Marandi has been poised to bag 2-4 seats, AJSU of Sudesh Mahto 3-5 seats and others have been predicted to get between 4-7 seats.

Another survey carried out by IANS-C Voter and ABP has given 35 seats to the BJP, 37 to the Mahagathbandhan, 5 to AJSU, 2 to JVM-P and 1 to others.

Going by the surveys, it is advantage Hemant Soren for the time being. However, actual figures will be only available once the process of counting is completed on December 23. 

Both the surveys conducted by national channels suggested that the key to government formation in Jharkhand may once again fall in the hands of AJSU and JVM-P led by Babulal Marandi.

In the assembly elections of 2014, the BJP had won 37 seats while its ally the AJSU party had won 5 seats, JMM had won 19, Congress 6, JVM-P 8 and others, including Left and smaller outfits, 6 seats.(UNI)