Desperate to shrug off the bane of fractured mandate of the last 14 years, Jharkhand gave a decisive verdict in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine and declared an end to the era of instability and underdevelopment.
The BJP-AJSU-lJP alliance emerged the winner in the third Assembly election of the State’s history that has seen nine CMs and three spells of President’s Rule since its creation in 2000. BJP national vice-president Raghubar Das, who won from Jamshedpur East constituency, emerged as favourite to be the first non-tribal Chief Minister of the State.
The voters of the State seems to have paid heed to Prime Minister Narendra’s Modi’s pleas of stability for development as they chose the BJP combine to lead the State with 42 seats in the 81-member Assembly with a vote share of over 31 per cent. Incidentally, this is for the first time in the State that a pre-poll coalition crossed the magic figure of 41. The BJP had secured 18 seats in 2009 Assembly polls and 30 seats in the 2005 Assembly polls.
However, Shibu Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha could hold their forte emerging as the main Opposition with 19 seats, improving its 2009 tally of 18. Former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, though himself faced defeat at both the seats of Giridih and Raj Dhanwar, his party Jharkhand Vikas Morcha emerged as the third major party with eight seats.
The Congress was eventually rejected by the people for the second time after the General Elections as the party ended with six seats in its kitty. Notably, partners of the Congress, JD(U) and RJD were also totally rejected by the voters.
The BJP’s vote share rose to 31.3 per cent in 2014 from 22.2 per cent in 2009 Assembly polls thus registering a rise of 9.1 per cent. The JMM has got 20.4 per cent (its share in 2009 was 22.2 per cent) but the Congress was rejected by voters this time with its vote share getting down to 10.4 per cent from 17.3 per cent.
The polls also turned out to be a major setback for Independents and small parties, who have been sneaking into the corridors of power every time due to fractured mandate and weak Governments that gave them opportunities for political bargaining. TMC leader Bandhu Tirkey, JMM’s Harinarayan Rai, NCP leader Kamlesh Singh, JBSP leader Madhu Koda and several others could not retain their seats and were defeated with huge margin of votes.
The most striking feature of poll results was that all the former Chief Ministers who contested the elections could not secure their seats. Former CM Arjun Munda lost from Kharsawan, Babulal Marandi from both Rajdhanwar and Girdih seats, while former CM Madhu Koda was also defeated from Majhgaon Assembly seat. The AJSU party chief and former deputy CM Sudesh Mahto also received a humiliating defeat in the hands of young JMM leader Amit Mahto. Incumbent CM Hemant Soren also got defeated from the JMM’s impregnable seat of Dumka though he managed to secure a berth for himself in the Assembly from Barhait seat.
After the defeat of one of the leading faces for CM’s post Arjun Munda the way for the CM’s post seems to be clear for party’s national vice-president Raghubar Das, who won the polls from Jamshedpur East constituency. Das has an experience of Deputy CM’s post earlier and is being considered a natural choice for the post due to his proximity with the Sangh Parivar. The BJP central leadership is also said to be mulling to consider his name in the parliamentary board meeting scheduled on Wednesday, party insiders revealed.
Das is also an acceptable face in the State leadership with a good rapport with senior leaders and legislators and is capable of handling the greater responsibilities entrusted by the party, said a senior leader of the party.
Apart from Das, names of senior leaders, including Saryu Roy, Shiv Shankar Oraon and CP Singh were also doing the rounds for the CM’s post in political circles of the State.
The left parties could get just two seats with perhaps the biggest setback for CPI(Ml) candidate Binod Singh getting defeated from Bagodar constituency. Rajkumar Yadav of the CPI (Ml) and Arup Chaterjee of the MCC won the polls from Dhanwar and Nirsa constituencies respectively.
After the poll results were out CM Hemant Soren accepted the mandate and said that his party was ready to act as a responsible Opposition in the Assembly.
later in the evening, Chief Electoral Officer of Jharkhand PK Jajoria said that the notification for formation of Government was likely to be issued by December 25 after the reports were submitted to the Governor. Jajoria also thanked the poll officials and staff for their hard work during polls.
Quotes:
Arjun Munda: “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the people of the State for instilling faith in the BJP and giving us an opportunity to work for the people with full majority. My resolve for work will not get down with an individual defeat. I may have lost a foot (of cloth) but have won the full yard”
Raghubar Das: “I have no words to express my thankfulness to the voters of the State. They have respected the PM and the national sentiments by giving BJP absolute majority. I am always available for the people for their service. The party leadership’s decision to select the leader will be respected by all.”