With blooming ‘lotus’ and entry of a stable Government for the first time in Jharkhand, aspiration for ‘good governance’ takes a surge. Sensing the sentiment, the BJP reiterated the promise it had made during the entire election campaign while the JMM blamed its partners in the Government for not coming along to counter the Modi wave ahead of the elections.
Reacting to the results, BJP national president Amit Shah thanked the people for providing a clear mandate. “The results are as per our expectations and we thank the people of Jharkhand for giving a clear mandate for a stable Government. We at this moment promise to provide a good Government to the people. It is important that our Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the campaign from the front that yielded good result for the BJP,” said Amit Shah in Delhi.
Shah also took a dig at the opponents of the BJP and named the bigwigs who bit the dust in front of the saffron party’s candidates. He named JVM chief Babulal Marandi, Chief Minister Hemant Soren and host of the Congress Ministers and termed it as revenge the voters had taken from the incumbent government headed by the JMM.
The JMM, on the other hand, blamed the Congress and RJD for severing the alliance which, it thought, provided an edge to the surging BJP. “We had said to the Congress and RJD to concentrate on parliamentary politics and leave the turf here for us. But they did not listen and this is what we see. They are responsible for the BJP’s win. Now we have to ensure that the land related laws in the favour of the tribal are not altered with,” said JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya addressing media persons in the evening.
The JMM despite the loss of Chief Minister Hemant Soren from one seat somehow managed to add one to its 2009 tally of 18. Soren also admitted to the defeat. “We will try to perform better while sitting in the Opposition. We respect the sentiments of the people and wish that development takes place as per their wishes,” he said.
Drubbed Congress whose tally has been cut down by half from 13 in 2009 to six licked its wounds silently. “We have to analyse the results closely. As far as taking responsibility is concerned, it would be on those who distributed tickets and selected candidates and not Rahul Gandhi,” said Congress national general secretary BK Hariprasad over phone from Delhi. Notably, Haripradsad was one of the staunch advocates of the alliance with the JMM ahead of the polls. Biggest loser in the polls remained the RJD that lost all its five sitting MlAs, including two Ministers Annapurna Devi and Suresh Paswan.