Jharkhand’s voters avenge Tabrez Ansari’s lynching as JMM-Congress-RJD secures landslide win, BJP loses fifth state in one year

By
Kumar Suresh
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Jharkhand’s voters on Monday avenged the lynching of Tabrez Ansari by inflicting one of the worst electoral defeats on the BJP. The JMM-Congress-JMM alliance looked set to secure a landslide win in the 81-seat Jharkhand assembly by emerging victorious on 47 seats. The BJP’s tally came down to just 26. This was the fifth state that the BJP has lost within the span of one year. Of the nine seats where Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigned, the BJP lost five seats.

On 21 June, Tabrez was brutally murdered by Hindutva thugs who tied him to a pillar and asked him to chant Jai Shri Ram. His newly married wife was pregnant when he was brutally murdered.

Several exit polls had predicted BJP to lose control over another state after losing Maharashtra in this year’s assembly polls. After Maharashtra assembly polls, BJP’s alliance partner for 30 years, the Shiv Sena, severed tied with the saffron party to form an alliance with the NCP and the Congress to form a government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had extensively campaigned for the BJP. Both were accused of indulging in communal politics to polarise the elections. Modi had famously said in one of the speeches that protesters expressing dissent against the amended Citizenship Act could be identified by their clothes. This was deemed to be an explicit hint at communalising the nationwide protests against CAA to be an agitation led by Muslims.

Shah, in one of his speeches, had promised to construct a sky-high Ram Temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh in a bid to polarise Hindu votes.

Several exit polls predicted big defeat for the BJP. According to India Today-Axis My India, the BJP was expected to fall short of a majority in the 81-seat Jharkhand assembly. The exit poll predicted that the ruling BJP was likely to win between 22 and 32 seats. The JMM-Congress-RJD alliance, according to the exit poll, was set to win around 38-50 seats.

Here are the live updates:

  • NCP Chief Sharad Pawar: The result of #JharkhandAssemblyPolls that has come today clearly states that people are with non-BJP parties. After Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, people have decided to keep BJP away from power in Jharkhand also. (ANI)
  • Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM) Hemant Soren in Ranchi: I want to thank Lalu ji, Sonia ji, Rahul ji and Priyanka ji & all Congress leaders for all the support & for believing in me. (ANI)
  • Hemant Soren, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM) in Ranchi: I am thankful to the people of Jharkhand for the mandate. (ANI)

  • Jharkhand CM and BJP candidate from Jamshedpur East, Raghubar Das: I am hopeful that result will be in our favour. I am waiting for the final results. BJP will accept the people’s mandate. (ANI)
  • Jharkhand CM and BJP candidate from Jamshedpur East, Raghubar Das, still trailing. Independent candidate Saryu Rai (Pic2) is leading by 7484 votes. (ANI)
  • Huge setback for BJP as its tally is reduced to 24, JMM-Congress-RJD extends their lead to 46 in 81-seat assembly 
  • Saryu Rai, independent candidate from Jamshedpur East, leading against CM Raghubar Das, on being asked if he’ll go with grand alliance or BJP: I will remain as an independent candidate and support or oppose the policies of government on its merit. (ANI)
  • Saryu Rai, independent candidate from Jamshedpur East, leading against Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das says, “Lead of about 1500-2000 will continue in the coming rounds of counting. I could win by a margin of 30,000 votes”. (ANI)
  • Saryu Roy increases lead against BJP Chief Minister Raghubar Das from Jamshedpur East to more than 2,600. Big upset likely.
  • AJSU party’s Sudesh Mahto is now leading in Silli seat by 10400 votes, JMM’s Seema Devi is trailing. (ANI)
  • Jharkhand CM and BJP candidate from Jamshedpur East, Raghubar Das is now trailing. Independent candidate Saryu Rai is leading by 771 votes. (ANI)
  • JMM’s Hemant Soren is leading from Dumka seat by 2463 votes and Barhait by 8616 votes. (ANI)

  • Congress’s Jharkhand in-charge, RPN Singh: We were confident that Jharkhand will give clear majority to our alliance. Trends are good but I won’t make comment until final result.We’ve clearly said that Hemant Soren will be CM candidate of our alliance. (ANI)
  • Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP in Jaipur on being asked if BJP trails in #JhakhandAssemblyPolls, will it be a litmus test for #CAA: No such question arises. State elections are fought on issues concerning the state. (ANI)
  • Jharkhand CM & BJP candidate from Jamshedpur East: Had Saryu Rai caused damage, I would not have received the votes, which I did so far. Let me clearly state that we’re not only winning but we’ll also form govt under the leadership of BJP in the state. (ANI)
  • Jharkhand CM and BJP candidate from Jamshedpur East: These trends are not the final word. There are more rounds of counting to be held. It will not be correct to comment on these trends. I will hold a press conference later in Ranchi. (ANI)
  • According to the Election Commission website, BJP is now leading on 29 seats, JMM-Congress-RJD lead on 40 seats. NCP is leading on one seat.
  • According to the Election Commission website, BJP is now leading on 17 seats, JMM-Congress-RJD lead on 25 seats 
  • According to Election Commission website, BJP leading on 13 seats, Congress-JMM-RJD alliance leading on 20 seats
  • Congress-JMM-RJD alliance leading on 42 seats, BJP leading only on 27 seats
  • Counting of votes has started