- BJP failed to recognise the sheer arithmetic power of the JMM-INC-RJD alliance.
- The JMM-Cong-RJD alliance was primarily eyeing the Scheduled Tribe (ST)-Muslim-Yadav (MSY) vote bank which accounts for roughly half of the state’s population.
- Some decisions of the (now previous) BJP government in Jharkhand which enraged the adivasis include the filing of sedition cases against 10,000 tribals of the Pathalgarhi movement.
- As a result, BJP’s tally declined from 11 in ST-reserved seats in 2014 to just 2seats in the 2019 elections.
- The poll results show that the voter can distinguish between state and national elections, evaluating each government on merit, punishing CMs for non-performance.
The Jharkhand election results are out, and BJP has lost one more state. In the last one year, state elections have been held in six states and BJP has been able to save its government in only one state. After an action-packed day where the fortunes moved like a pendulum from one side to the other, the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), have managed to secure a simple majority on their own, winning 43 out of 81 seats (including leads).
BJP only gained in vote share because it contested in more seats (79 versus 72). AJSU, which broke away from BJP, doubled its vote share, but could win only three seats. Babulal Marandi’s party, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM), which faced poaching by the BJP in 2014, won three seats.