Bhubaneswar, November 24: Expressing disappointment over the BJP’s poor performance in the Jharkhand Assembly elections, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan acknowledged shortcomings in the party’s strategy. He assured the BJP would critically examine its defeat and take corrective measures.
"We accept the people's mandate. I believe there will be some flaws. The party will analyze it and identify where we went wrong despite the misrule in Jharkhand. We will rectify our path accordingly," Harichandan stated.
Despite the BJP’s loss in Jharkhand, Harichandan highlighted the party’s commendable performance in Maharashtra, attributing it to good governance. "In Maharashtra, the performance was good. The people have lost faith in Congress and its allies, and the results reflect that," he added.
In Jharkhand, the INDIA bloc, led by Hemant Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), secured a decisive victory, winning 56 out of 81 seats. The JMM itself won 34 seats, with Congress bagging 16, and other allies contributing six seats. In contrast, the BJP-led NDA managed just 24 seats, with the BJP securing 21 and its allies winning three.
Meanwhile, the BJP-led alliance retained a stronghold in Maharashtra, winning 132 seats. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena secured 57, while Ajit Pawar’s faction of the NCP claimed 41 seats. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance faced setbacks, comprising Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction.
The contrasting results in Jharkhand and Maharashtra underline the need for introspection within the BJP, Harichandan suggested, as the party prepares for upcoming challenges.
