New Delhi: The BJP and its allies are holding ground in the state, leading in 12 of the 14 seats in the state. In the previous election, the BJP alone won 12 seats. It is in an alliance with the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), which is contesting one seat, where it is leading.
Two former chief ministers of Jharkhand – Babulal Marandi and Shibu Soren – have lost elections from the Koderma and Dumka parliamentary constituencies respectively.
Out of the 14 seats in the state, the BJP-led NDA has registered its victory in 12 seats. Out of these 12 seats, 11 seats were won by the BJP and one by its ally, AJSU. The BJP contested 13 seats and the AJSU one.
Meanwhile, the Congress-led mahagathbandhan has only able to win two seats – Rajmahal and Singhbhum.
In the last Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won 12 seats and the mahagathbandhan’s ally JMM registered victory in two seats – Dumka and Rajmahal. However, in this election JMM supremo and sitting MP of Dumka lost its seat to the BJP’s Sunil Soren. Unlike last time, the Congress has been able to open its account in the state. Geeta Kora of Congress defeated BJP state president Laxman Giluwa.
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Unlike the last parliamentary elections, this time Jharkhand witnessed a direct fight between the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Congress-led Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance). Apart from the Congress (contesting seven seats), other parties in the grand alliance are Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (contenting four seats), Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (contesting 2 seats) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (1 seat). On the other hand, in the NDA, there are only two parties – BJP and All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) party. While the BJP is contesting 13 seats, the AJSU party has been allotted only one seat.
In the last Lok Sabha elections, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) won 12 of the 14 seats in the state. This was the highest number of seats won by the party ever since the state was formed in November 2001. Apart from the BJP, the only party which could open their tally in the last general elections was Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). In 2009, the BJP had won 8 seats, Congress 1, JMM 2 and remaining two were won by others.
The BJP’s performance in the Lok Sabha was almost replicated in the state assembly elections later that year (December 2014). By all accounts, however, in this election, the party is likely to lose nearly half of the seats it won last time because of several reasons. Two major reasons are, i) huge anti-incumbency against the state government and ii) several siting MPs were not re-nominated by the party.
There are two broad reasons for anti-incumbency against the state government. For the first time a non-tribal was made the chief minister of the state and secondly, it has attempted to change the land laws (like CNT and SPT acts) and other important legislations, such as the state domicile policy, which has irked the tribal population. Out of the 14 Lok Sabha seat, five are reserved for Schedule Tribes (ST). According to the 2011 census, STs constitute 26.3% of the population and play a decisive role in more than half of the parliamentary constituencies of the state.
Some of the high-profile seats in this election are Ranchi, Dumka, Koderma, Khunti, Hazaribagh and Dhanbad. There are three former chief ministers, one former Union minister and one sitting Union minister are in fray this time. Out of these five high-prole seats, four are currently represented by the BJP.
As far as issues are concerned, while the BJP campaigned on Modi’s performance at the Centre. Principal opposition parties such as the JMM and Congress focused on the Central as well as state government’s approach towards Adivasis.