New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) The exit polls predict that the Jharkhand state elections are likely to throw up a hung Assembly, where either Babulal Marandi-led Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) or All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), could emerge as king-makers.
According to CVoter-ABP-IANS exit polls, the trends indicate JVM and AJSU can together secure 15 per cent vote share, though a shade better than results in 2014 poll results, but likely to influence post-poll alliance.
The trends indicate these parties together could get leads on at least eight seats.
The exit poll trends indicate the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s alliance with the Congress and the Rashtriya Janta Dal could fetch 35 seats, falling slightly short of majority in 81-member Assembly. In these circumstances, either JVM or AJSU could potentially play a crucial role in forming the government.
The trends also indicate that BJP with 32 seats, is not far away from the majority mark, and it will not let its strings go loose on either JVM or AJSU.
In 2014, the BJP and AJSU alliance fetched 42 seats, but Sudesh Mahto who led AJSU in the polls decided to jump into the Jharkhand battleground alone, without his old ally.
Mahto lost the Ranchi Lok Sabha elections in 2014 after he was trounced in a bypoll in 2018 by a JMM greenhorn from Silli. In the backdrop of these political developments, Babulal Marandi-led JVM acquires a distinct position.
The JMM alliance is likely to get 34.2 per cent vote share and BJP is marginally ahead with 37.3 per cent. In 2014 polls, the trio – JMM, Congress and JVM, got 40.8 per cent vote against the alliance of BJP and AJSU, which secured 35 per cent vote share.
–IANS/
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