BJP leads in Jharkhand

Ranchi, May 16 (IANS) The BJP Friday retained its hold in Jharkhand, winning five Lok Sabha seats and leading in eight other constituencies of the state's 14, riding on a popularity wave of its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren is leading in the Dumka seat against BJP's Sunil Soren by 12,000 votes. Former chief minister and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) president Babulal Marandi is in third position.

The Congress suffered humiliating defeat in Ranchi seat, with former central minister Subodh Kant Sahay losing to BJP's Ram Tahal by over 1.90 lakh votes.

Prominent BJP candidates in the election fray are former central minister Yashwant Sinha's son Jayant Sinha, Lok Sabha deputy speaker Karia Munda and former state director general of police B.D. Ram.

Other key regional party All Jharkhand Students Union also performed poorly.

Notably, Modi addressed eight rallies in the state.

In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, the BJP won eight of the 14 seats.