Jharkhand Election Results: BJP's CP Singh wins against JMM's Mahua Maji in Ranchi

BJP candidate Chandreshwar Prasad Singh won the Ranchi constituency seat in Jharkhand, securing 1,07,290 votes. JMM's Mahua Maji came in second place with 85,341 votes, and Mahtab Alam got 934 votes.

Voting turnout and predictions

Voting in Ranchi concluded on November 13 with a turnout of 52.46%. The outcome of this race remained highly anticipated, with contrasting predictions from exit polls creating suspense.

Exit polls presented a split picture, suggesting a tight contest between the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led alliance. The NDA, which included the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal (United), and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), was predicted by some polls to form the next government. However, other exit polls still favoured the incumbent JMM-led coalition, which included Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist).

Chandreshwar Singh faced a stiff challenge in Ranchi

In Ranchi, the contest was particularly intense, with BJP’s long-serving MLA, Chandreshwar Prasad Singh, facing a strong challenge from JMM’s Mahua Maji. Singh, who had represented the constituency since 1996, saw his once-commanding position weaken in recent years. In 2014, Singh secured a comfortable victory with a margin of 58,863 votes, but by 2019, his lead had narrowed to just 5,904 votes. This shrinking margin raised questions about his ability to retain his seat.

The 2024 election was seen as a critical test for Singh, whose once-secure stronghold was under threat from Maji, who narrowly lost to him in 2019. The electorate in Ranchi remained stable, with 170,321 voters in 2019, and political parties had worked hard to consolidate their voter bases.