On Monday 23rd December, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress alliance appeared set to form government in Jharkhand. JMM leader Hemant Soren, the son of Shibu Soren, is set to take up the reins of the state for a second term.
The ruling BJP is ahead in 30 seats but a party needs to get 41 seats to form government in the 81-seated Assembly Legislative. The election was held in the BJP stronghold state of Jharkhand in five phases between November 30 and December 20. In the Haryana assembly elections held in 2014, the BJP, had got a clear majority with the support of debutante Dushyant Chautala to form government.
Now, Chief Minister Raghubar Das conceded defeat as the ruling BJP appeared to be set for second place in the Jharkhand election.
"The BJP will accept the people's mandate," he said, as it became clear that the rival Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress alliance was comfortably past the majority mark of 41.
Earlier, he had appeared confident that the BJP would pull through and win in the end. "I am hopeful that the result will be in our favour. I am waiting for final results," he said later.
Raghubar Das was also trailing in Jamshedpur East - a seat that he has been winning since 1995 -- against his own party rebel Saryu Rai. No Chief Minister of the state has ever won consecutive polls.
"There may have been some polarisation in a seat or two... there may also be some anti-incumbency, but we are very confident that once the final result is out, you will see that the BJP will form the government. We are very confident of that," he had asserted.
In the meantime, former finance minister of India P Chidambaram said the BJP was not unbeatable. He was released on bail earlier this month after spending over 3 months in jail in the INX media case. He tweeted,
"Dented in Haryana, Denied in Maharashtra, Defeated in Jharkhand. That is the story of the BJP in 2019. All non-BJP parties must raise their sights and rally around the Congress to save the Constitution of India."
The BJP has conceded its defeat. "The party respects the mandate of the people of Jharkhand," BJP chief and Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted.
