Jharkhand Elections Results 2019: Trends/Results available so far for the Jharkhand Assembly election results show the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staring at a possible defeat. The Grand Alliance or Mahagathbandhan of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) appear on course to form a government in the mineral-rich state which was carved out of Bihar in November of 2000. In the 81-seat Jharkhand Assembly, a party or alliance needs 41 seats for a simple majority and the BJP appears to be falling short of the target.

As of 12 PM, trends available on the official website of the Election Commission of India show the JMM ahead on 24 seats, Congress on 13 seats and the RJD leading on 5 seats. The BJP was leading on 29 seats, AJSU on 3 and Babulal Marandi’s JVMP on 4 seats.

If the trends hold, the BJP is unlikely to retain power in Jharkhand, making it the fifth state where the saffron party has lost power in the last one year. The BJP lost three Hindi hinterland states – Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan in December 2018. Despite emerging as the single largest party in October Assembly elections held in Maharashtra, the party ceded power to Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress alliance following a month-long post-election drama. In Haryana too, the BJP won far less number of seats than what it had projected for itself but formed government with the help of Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).

Jharkhand Election Results 2019: LIVE UPDATES

Jharkhand Assembly elections were being seen as a litmus test for the BJP at a time when the party is witnessing stiff resistance over issues of Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) by a united opposition. The issues have also triggered countrwide protests which are still continuing. States like Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Karnataka and Delhi have witnessed violent protests against CAA, NRC resulting in numerous deaths.

A defeat in Jharkhand will give the Opposition fresh ammunition to target the BJP over these issues despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah clarifying on several occasions that no India citizen will be affected by CAA or NRC.

Moreover, losing Jharkhand in quick succession after Maharashtra and the Delhi elections approaching fast, calls of introspection within the BJP leadership will surely get fuelled. Until now, the BJP under the leadership of Modi — who still continues to be the country’s biggest vote aggregator — has enjoyed a perception of invincibility. That, and more, could now lie at risk of being losing its aura. And the consequences could be disastrous for the BJP.