PATNA: Yet again riding piggyback on Narendra Modi wave, the BJP along with its allies on Tuesday extended its winning streak in the state elections by winning 42 seats in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly to secure an absolute majority. And the clear mandate secured by the BJP-led alliance, which includes the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) and the Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) has ensured a stable government in the state, which has been marred by political instability since its formation.
The BJP also registered an marked increase in its vote share-- from 24.44 per cent in 2009 to 31.3 per cent.
The nearest rival of saffron party in the election was the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) with 19 seats also recorded a substantial increase in vote percentage.from 15.79 per cent in 2009 to 20.5 per cent in 2014. The party was in power for the last 14 months.
BJP’s nearest rival the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JVM) won 19 seats and got substantial increase in vote share -- from 15.79 percent in 2009 to 20.5 percent in 2014. The party was in power for the last 14 months.
The Congress, once a redoubtable political force in the state, failed miserably to make its mark. The slide in the party’s fortunes saw its tally reduced to a mere six seats from the 14 in the outgoing Assembly. But it was the RJD and the JD(U)-- both members of the recently reunited Janata Parivar-- which bore the brunt of Modi juggernaut, suffering a washout in the process. Both parties had contested the polls to experiment their new grand alliance. The RJD had five legislators in the previous House whereas the JD(U) had two members.
The poll outcome also indicated that the people of Jharkhand had punished their former Chief Ministers by not sending them to the Assembly this time round. Former Chief Minister Madhu Koda, who is facing several corruption cases and is being probed by the CBI, lost the Majhgaon seat to Nial Purty of the JMM by a margin of 11,182 votes. He had been in judicial custody on corruption charges for four years and floated the Jai Bharat Samanta Party. Similarly, another former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Arjun Munda lost from Kharsawan seat to Dashrath Gagai of the JMM. And the state’s first Chief Minister Babulal Marandi too lost from Dhanwar. Outgoing Chief Minister Hemant Soren won from Barhait, where he defeating Hemalal Murmu by a margin of over 23,000 votes. However, he lost the Dumka seat. Former Deputy Chief Minister and AJSU president Sudesh Mahto lost to Amit Mahto of the JMM from Silli bv over 30,000 votes. Despite the strong anti-incumbency, the JMM and the Congress witnessed conflicting fortunes in the polls. While the JMM improved its performance, the Congress ended up with a paltry tally.
According to political observers, the JMM and the Congress had committed a political blunder by deciding to go it alone in the polls. However, the Congress contested in alliance with the RJD and the JD(U). The BJP had contested 72 seats, while leaving out seven seats to the AJSU and one to the LJP. On the other hand after parting ways with the JMM, the Congress had put up candidates in 60 seats and its ally, the RJD,19 .