RANCHI: In the Jharkhand assembly polls, the BJP failed to put up a good show in the tribal-dominated regions despite its narrative that it can protect the interests of tribals.
According to the results declared on Saturday, the BJP’s performance took a hit in the tribal-dominated Kolhan, Santhal Pargana and South Chotanagpur. In other regions, such as North Chotanagpur and Palamu, the BJP-led NDA performed relatively better and managed to retain its ground.
In Kolhan, which has 14 seats, the NDA could get only three seats. Though three former chief ministers — Arjun Mjunda, Champai Soren and Madhu Koda — belong to Kolhan, they could not get seats for NDA. Meera Munda, wife of Arjun Munda who contested from Potka on a BJP ticket, lost. Similarly, Geeta Koda, wife of Madhu Koda, was defeated in Jaggananthpur. Champai Soren managed to win from Saraikela on a BJP ticket, but his son Ramdas Soren lost Ghatshila seat.
In Santhal Pargana with 18 seats, the BJP could get only one seat against four in the 2019 assembly polls. The JMM put up a dominating show in the region winning 11 seats. Its ally Congress won four seats and RJD two. Sanjay Prasad Yadav of RJD defeated two-time BJP MLA Amit Kumar Mandal in the region.
JMM patriarch Shibu Soren’s daughter-in-law Sita Soren, who changed her constituency from Jama to Jamtara and contested on a BJP ticket, lost to Congress candidate Irfan Ansari. Despite making infiltration and demographic change an issue in Santhal Pargana, the BJP performed worse than 2019 assembly polls.
The BJP could not retain its ground in South Chotanagpur and managed to win only seats seats against five and eight seats in 2019 and 2014 Assembly polls.
“This is for the first time that NDA has performed so badly in South Chhotanagpur,” an analyst said. AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto, a BJP ally, lost from Silli assembly seat. The BJP also lost from Khunti which it had been winning in the previous four assembly polls. The saffron party also lost Kanke seat, considered a BJP stronghold, to the Congress.
The BJP, however, came out as the largest party in North Chotanagpur winning 12 out of the 25 seats against 11 and 13 in 2019 and 2014 assembly polls, respectively. For the first time after the formation of Jharkhand, LJP has succeeded in clinching one seat — Chatra. State BJP chief Babulal Marandi retained Dhanawa seat, but leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri lost from Chandankiyari. JMM star campaigner and CM Hemant Soren’s Kalpana Soren retained Gandey seat.
The NDA also performed well in Palamu and won four out of nine seats as against five and two in 2019 and 2014 assembly polls. The RJD and Congress also managed to get two seats each, while JMM win only one seat in the region. Though there were friendly contests between the alliance partners of INDIA bloc in Chattarpur and Bishrampur, their candidates were declared winner from there. Two ministers — Mithlesh Thakur and Badyanath Ram — lost their seats from Garhwa and Latehar.
In a reversal of fortunes, the BJP’s tally plummeted to 21 assembly seats from 25 in 2019. The ruling alliance, led by Soren’s JMM, increased its 2019 count of 47 seats to 56 of the total 81 in the state.