New Delhi, December 20: With the assembly polls ending in Jharkhand on Friday evening, exit poll results are being declared by media outlets. The post-poll surveys are expected to give an indicator on who may emerge as the winner on December 23 -- when the final results will be declared by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Here is what major research agencies and news channels have predicted for Jharkhand.

According to the Aaj Tak-Axis My India survey, the Congress-JMM-RJD is predicted to win between 38-50 constituencies, with a vote share of 37 percent. The BJP, on the other hand, is predicted to be restricted to 22-32 assembly seats, with a vote share of 34 percent.

As per the ABP News-C Voter survey, the Congress-JMM-RJD combine is predicted to win 31-39 (35) out of the 81 seats -- six less than the halfway majority mark. The BJP is expected to trail at 28-36 (32) constituencies, whereas, the AJSU is predicted to win 3-7 (5) seats and the JVM(P) could bag 1-4 constituencies.

The Times Now exit poll has given a clear majority for the Opposition alliance, with the JMM predicted to win 23 seats, the Congress 16 and the RJD 5. Cumulatively, the coalition has reached the 44-seat mark -- two above the halfway majority. The BJP is predicted to be restricted to retain 28 constituencies, whereas, the JVM (P) is likely to bag 3 assembly segments.

The electoral battle in Jharkhand was primarily wedged between the alliance Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The opinion polls, released ahead of the polls, had predicted a tight contest with the likes of All Jharkhand Students' Union (AJSU) Party and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) predicted to play a decisive role. Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2019: Maoist Trigger IED Blast on CRPF While Returning From Tamar, Two Jawans Injured.

The high-stake electoral battle in Jharkhand was contested in five phases, between November 30 to December 20. The poll battle was fought nearly a month after the ruling BJP faced a setback in Maharashtra and Haryana. While it succeeded in retaining power in the latter, the government Devendra Fadnavis was dislodged in Maharashtra by an unlikely alliance of the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena.

In Jharkhand, the Opposition aimed at leveraging from the ongoing economic slowdown, rising unemployment and increasing food inflation, whereas, the BJP campaign was centred on national issues -- from the repeal of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir to the alleged "obstructions" laid by erstwhile Congress governments for the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The party also aggressively campaigned on the passage of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) -- calling it a measure of "historic justice" for non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 20, 2019 07:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).