Jharkhand assembly election results leave former CMs in shock

Ranchi: The Jharkhand Assembly elections results declared on Tuesday left all the five former chief ministers of the state in a shock.

While first CM Babulal Marandi lost his Dhanwar seat to Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) candidate Rajkumar Yadav and the Giridih seat to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Nirbhay Shabadi, the outgoing CM Hemant Soren managed to win only one seat out of the two contested. Soren contested from Dumka and Barhait seats.

The second CM Arjun Munda lost from the Kharsawa constituency to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate Dasrath Gagrai.

JMM leader Shibu Soren did not contest while fourth and only Independent CM Madhu Koda lost the election from the Majhgao constituency to JMM candidate Nial Purty by over 29,000 votes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's powerful campaign worked well for the BJP which is all set to form the government in Jharkhand though technically it will still be a minority government. Despite the well-oiled campaign which appealed to the voters to give majority to the BJP to ensure the first single party majority government in the state, the BJP fell just short of halfway mark of 42-seats and will need the support of its pre-poll allies as well as some post-poll partners.