Jharkhand polls: BJP, UPA to stake claim

February 28, 2005

The maiden assembly polls in Jharkhand threw up a fractured mandate on Sunday.

But the BJP-led NDA finished ahead of its main challenger JMM-Congress in the tally of seats.

Both sides say they will stake their claim to the Governor today.

With results of all the 81 seats out, NDA bagged 35 seats, six short of the majority mark while 26 seats went to another pre-poll combination of JMM (17 seats) and Congress (9).

The RJD, which had no pre-poll tie-up with either Congress or JMM, finished with seven seats, Forward Bloc (2) and CPI(ML) and NCP one each.

The verdict leaves the independents, who won 12 seats, with a crucial say in government formation.

Both BJP and JMM stepped up efforts to muster the required number.

The saffron party deputed its senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu to Ranchi to drum up support.

JMM chief Shibu Soren held discussions over telephone with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, RJD President Lalu Prasad, LJP leader Ramvilas Paswan and the independent MLAs.

Soren said talks were on to woo back rebel JMM leader Stephen Marandi who as an independent after being denied official nomination won the Dumka seat.

Chief Minister Arjun Munda, who retained his Kharsawan seat for the third successive term, expressed confidence that NDA would be able to form the government by securing the support of others.