Sir — Finally, Jharkhand, that saw nine different Governments and three spells of President’s Rule in the 14 years since it was carved out of Bihar, will for the first time have a stable Government under the BJP and its ally, the All Jharkhand Students Union. The saffron party, which sought votes in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, won 37 seats, double in comparison to the tally of 18 in the last election, and the AJSU, five.
The State, despite being mineral-rich and blessed with natural bounty, has remained a laggard for far too long. It is among the bottom five Indian States on human development and does badly on indicators of poverty and health. From this viewpoint, the mandate can be dubbed as a clear message for a change. Also, the humiliating defeat of three former Chief Ministers — Babulal Marandi, Arjun Munda and Madhu Koda — in their home turfs, and of the outgoing Chief Minister Hemant Soren from Dumka, is a message in itself.