Jharkhand Election: BJP-NDA Alliance Expected to Secure Over 51 Seats, Says BJP Chief Babulal Marandi

As voting for the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections began on Wednesday morning, Jharkhand BJP Chief Babulal Marandi exuded confidence, saying that the BJP-NDA alliance will secure more than 51 seats in the polls and form the government as the people were discontented with the ruling Hemant Soren-led JMM party in the state. Speaking to ANI, Babulal Marandi said, "Today voting will take place for the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections. The mood of the people in Jharkhand is to change the Hemant Soren-led JMM government as they have suffered under their rule in these past 5 years. People will vote for a change."

The State BJP Chief further said that the Income Tax department recently conducted raids at several locations linked to the Chief Minister's personal assistant, alleging that such actions are only possible due to involvement with black money. He further asked what other options the CM has but to make accusations against BJP leaders. Marandi also confidently asserted that the BJP-NDA alliance would secure over 51 seats and form the next government in Jharkhand.

"A few days back, the I-T department raided many locations related to the PA of the CM. It's not possible without black money; if someone is this much dipped in corruption, what option does he have instead of making allegations against some of our leaders? BJP-NDA will get more than 51 seats, and we are going to form the government," said Babulal Marandi.

Babulal Marandi of BJP is contesting from the Dhanwar constituency. He was the leader of the opposition in the outgoing assembly and is also the state's first CM after the formation of the first assembly in 2000. He is contesting against JMM's Nizam Uddin Ansari. Jharkhand faces a fierce battle between the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress alliance looking to retain power while the Bharatiya Janata Party and allies seek to remove the Chief Minister Hemant Soren-led government.

In the second phase, CM Hemant Soren's Barhait constituency is one of the 38 assembly constituencies that will be going to polls. The BJP has fielded Gamliyel Hembrom in Barhait.

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Another prominent face in the second phase is Kalpana Soren, Jharkhand CM's wife, who is in the fray against BJP's Muniya Devi in the Gandey assembly constituency. She won the assembly bypoll in Gandey held earlier this year. Another prominent face in the assembly election is BJP's Sita Soren. She is contesting from the Jamtara constituency.

Voting commenced at 7 am on Wednesday for the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections, covering the remaining 38 seats.

Earlier, mock polling was conducted in Jamtara, Deoghar, and several booths around 5 pm. Ahead of the elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged voters to enthusiastically participate in the final phase of the Jharkhand elections, aiming for record turnout. He congratulated first-time voters, emphasizing that their votes strengthen the state. "Today is the second and last phase of the great festival of democracy in Jharkhand. I urge all voters to participate enthusiastically and set a new record for voter turnout. On this occasion, I especially congratulate all my young friends voting for the first time. Your vote strengthens the state," PM Modi posted on X.

The first phase of voting took place on November 13 for 43 of the 81 assembly seats.

The BJP-led coalition is targeting key constituencies, with prominent candidates such as former Chief Minister Champai Soren and Congress leader Ajoy Kumar in the fray. In the first phase, key candidates included former Chief Minister Champai Soren (BJP) contesting from Seraikela, and Ajoy Kumar (Congress) from Jamshedpur East, where he faced Purnima Das Sahu, the daughter-in-law of former Chief Minister Raghubar Das. In Jagannathpur, BJP's Geeta Koda, wife of former Chief Minister Madhu Koda, contested against Congress leader Sona Ram Sinku. The JMM fielded sitting Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji from Ranchi. Among the 38 seats headed for polls, eight are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and three for Scheduled Castes (SC).