Ranchi, November 1: The Election Commission of India on Friday announced dates for the Jharkhand assembly elections 2019. According to the schedule, polling will be held in five phases - November 30, December 7, December 12, December 16 and December 20 - in Jharkhand's 81 seats. The counting of votes will take place on December 23 and the results will be declared on the same day, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora announced. Jharkhand: Congress Leaders Not in Support of Projecting JMM Leader Hemant Soren as CM Candidate.

The term of Jharkhand Legislative Assembly will end on January 5. The BJP-ruled state was expected to go to assembly polls along with Maharashtra and Haryana on October 21. However, the poll panel deferred elections reportedly due to the left-wing extremism in the state. In 2014, assembly elections in Jharkhand were held in five phases from November 25 to December 20. The results were declared on December 23. Jharkhand Assembly Elections: Congress May Settle For 25-30 Seats in Alliance With JMM.

In the 2014 Jharkhand assembly elections, the BJP won 37 seats, while its ally All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) bagged five. The two parties crossed the majority mark of 41 in the 81-member Legislative Assembly. Congress won seven seats and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha 19. Eight seats were won by the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik). However, six of their legislators joined the BJP in 2015.

For this year's assembly elections, the Congress and the JMM have decided to keep their alliance which was decimated by the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls. The grand old party has reportedly agreed to play the junior partner to JMM and may settle for 25-30 seats. The two parties decided to continue the tie-up after the BJP failed to secure a majority on its own in Haryana and Maharashtra polls.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 01, 2019 04:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).