BJP Suffers Major Losses in Santhal Pargana Civic Polls
In a significant political development, BJP-backed candidates experienced defeats in the majority of municipal body chairperson positions during recent polls across the Santhal Pargana division of Jharkhand. The sole exception to this trend was the mayoral victory in Deoghar, highlighting a broader shift in voter preferences towards independent and rebel candidates over party-affiliated nominees.
Detailed Election Outcomes Across Districts
The results from key districts including Dumka, Pakur, Jamtara, and Basukinath underscored a clear pattern favouring non-party candidates. In Dumka, Abhishek Chourasiya, a former JMM cadre who had previously contested unsuccessfully for the vice-chairperson post, secured the Dumka Municipal Council chairperson position with 6,781 votes out of 23,084 valid ballots. He led in both counting phases, defeating Ajay Kumar Jha Micky, another JMM supporter. Notably, the JMM at the organisational level refrained from endorsing any candidate in the Dumka Municipal Council elections, while the BJP-supported candidate and two-time chairperson finished in third place.
In Pakur, ex-BJP leader Shabari Pal, running as a rebel, won the chairperson post against JMM-backed Shekh Selina Sultana. Similarly, in Jamtara, independent candidate Asha Gupta triumphed over BJP-supported Reena Kumari by a margin of 974 votes. However, in Deoghar, Rita Chourasiya, the BJP-supported candidate for the mayoral post of Deoghar Municipal Corporation, secured a comfortable victory by nearly 2,500 votes against JMM-backed Ravi Rout.
Pending Results and Broader Implications
Contests for the coveted chairperson posts in Sahibganj and Godda remain undecided, with multi-cornered fights involving the BJP, JMM, and other parties still ongoing. These elections reflect a growing trend of voters opting for local independents and rebels, potentially signaling dissatisfaction with established political parties in the region. The outcomes could influence future political strategies and alliances in Jharkhand, as parties reassess their approaches to grassroots governance.
About the Author: Rajesh Kumar Pandey, with over a decade of journalism experience, covers the entire Santhal Parganas region encompassing six districts in Jharkhand. He writes on varied issues including politics, health, and tribal affairs.
