Ranchi, Nov 23 (Reporter) Propelled by a spectacular show by the Hemant Soren-led JMM, the ruling I.N.D.I.A bloc crushed a formidable challenge from the BJP-headed NDA to retain power in Jharkhand with a two-thirds majority on Saturday. As the day-long vote count for the Jharkhand Assembly polls drew to a close at night, Chief Minister Soren, who spearheaded the I.N.D.I.A bloc's campaign, seemed set to continue in the hot seat for another term. Of the total 81 seats in the state Assembly, I.N.D.I.A bloc captured 56 seats, while the main opposition National Democratic Alliance had to be satisfied with victories in 24 constituencies. The Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha, fighting its maiden election, got the Dumri seat where its chief Jairam Mahato won. The JMM finished with 34 seats, the party's best performance since the formation of Jharkhand. And considering the party contested 41 seats, it made for an impressive strike rate of over 82 percent. Among JMM's alliance partners, Congress secured 16 seats, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) clinched four, while Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation triumphed in two constituencies. Among the NDA constituents, the BJP, whose aggressive campaign on the twin issues of infiltration and corruption failed to cut much ice, ended up with 21 seats. The Lok Janshakti Party(Ram Vilas) and the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) pocketed one seat each. Hemant Soren completed a hatrick of wins from Barhait, having earlier coasted to victory from the seat in the 2014 and 2019 polls. Soren, who maintained a steady lead since the counting began at 8 a.m, won with a 39791 margin over his BJP opponent Gamliyel Hembrom. The 49-year-old leader, who happens to be the eldest son of JMM founder Shibu Soren, has been helming the state since 2019, albeit with a five-month break earlier this year, when he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged money laundering in connection with a land deal. Seemingly happy after leading his party and the alliance to a remarkable victory, Soren conceded it was the toughest election of his life. "We have passed the test of democracy," he said, savouring sweet success at the end of what was a roller-coaster year for him. There was more good news for the JMM and Hemant as his wife Kalpana Soren and brother Basant managing to turn the tables after falling behind in the initial rounds in Gandey and Dumka constituencies respectively Kalpana bested BJP candidate Muniya Devi by almost 17,142 votes, while Basant Soren got the better of BJP's Sunil Soren by 14588 votee. Among other prominent JMM nominees, Assembly Speaker Ravindra Nath Mahato triumphed from Nala. In Jama, after a day-long snake and ladder game, veteran politician Louis Marandi, who jumped ship to JMM after severing his long association with the BJP just before the poll, prevailed over the challenger from her former party Suresh Murmu by 5738 votes. On the NDA side, overcoming initial hiccups, former state Chief Minister Champai Soren, who contested as a BJP nominee from Seraikella, won by a 20477 margin over her JMM rival Ganesh Mahali. Champai, one of the founders of the JMM, had crossed over to the BJP after he was replaced as chief Minister by Hemant Soren in July. In Dhanwar, Jharkhand BJP unit president and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi won by 35,438 votes over his closest rival Nizam Uddin Ansari of the JMM. However, another state BJP stalwart and Leader of the Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly Amar Kumar Bauri suffered a humiliating defeat in Chandankiyari. Bauri, who had been elected from the seat in 2019, finished third this time. Uma Kant Rajak of JMM, who had lost to Bauri five years back as a AJSU nominee, was elected, with Arjun Rajwar of Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha taking the second place. Other notable BJP candidates who lost were JMM chief Shibu Soren's daughter-in-law Sita Soren in Jamtara and Lobin Hembram in Borrio. Congress leader Irfan Ansari won with a 43,676 margin from Jamtara. In another piece of bad news for the NDA, Amit Kumar of JMM stunned AJSU-P chief and former Deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahto in Silli by over 23 thousand votes. The elections to the Jharkhand Assembly were held in two phases, with 43 constituencies going to the hustings on November 13, and the remaining 38 on November 20. The state recorded a high overall voter turnout of 67.74 percent this time, the highest since its formation 24 years back. With the counting completed, the focus will now shift to the legislature party meetings of the JMM and the INDI alliance to elect their leader who will be tasked with running the state for the next five years...////...