Ranchi, Dec 23: Counting of votes for the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly began this morning amidst tight security.
The fate of 1,489 candidates, including heavy weights like former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi of Congress, former Deputy chief minister Sudhir Mahto of JMM, Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee chief Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu, and BJP state unit president Raghubar Das would be known.
BJP and its ally JD(U) contested all the 81 seats as also the Congress in alliance with Babulal Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (Prajatantrik).
RJD has an alliance with the Ramvilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), CPI, CPI(M) and Marxist Coordination Committee (MCC).
Shibu Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha contested 79 seats and is not part of any alliance.
–PTI