Bypoll results: RJD- JDU-Congress alliance wins 6 seats in Bihar

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, August 25, 2014 (NSTV):  Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar appear to have turned their once-famous rivalry into a friendship with very real benefits. They have won six of the 10 assembly seats that were decided today. The BJP has won remaining four seats as it had held six of the seats.

Lalu and Nitish combined with the Congress to take on the BJP, which swept the national election in May, winning 31 of the state’s 40 parliamentary seats. The two Bihar veterans then teamed up on the premise that they will consolidate the Muslim-Yadav-Backward Caste votes.

 

From a Mumbai hospital, Lalu Yadav tweeted, "I thank the people of Bihar for making the Grand alliance win. Voters across the country have rectified the mistakes made in Lok Sabha elections."

Leaders from the parties headed by Lalu and Mr Kumar said today’s election proves that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot deliver the state to his party, the BJP.  Bihar will pick its new government next year. 

The BJP’s Shahnawaz Hussain, a prominent Bihar leader was quick to blame the state leaders, him included. "The result is not as we expected. The state BJP takes responsibility," he said, adding, "We must not compare this with the Lok Sabha elections results."

Nitish Kumar, 63, was Chief Minister of Bihar when his Janata Dal (United) was landed with the humiliation of winning just two seats in the national election.  Mr Kumar claimed responsibility for the debacle and resigned, installing another leader from his party as head of the state government.  He then joined forces with Lalu Yadav, who had long fought him for control of Bihar.

Mr Kumar terminated a 17-year partnership with the BJP last year before the party formally announced Mr Modi as its presumptive prime minister. Mr Kumar had been an indefatigable critic of Mr Modi, describing him as a communal and divisive leader over the 2002 riots that tore through Gujarat, leaving more than 1,000 people dead, most of them Muslims.

The BJP said Mr Kumar’s charges against its leader were a misguided attempt to appease to the 17% Muslim population of Bihar.

BJP is leading in three seats while grand alliance comprising RJD, JD-U and Congress is ahead in seven seats of the total 10 Assembly seats where bypoll was held on August 21.

RJD is ahead at Chapra, Mohiuddinagar and Banka.

According to trends, BJP is leading at Rajnagar (SC), Mohania (SC) and Narkatiaganj.

JD-U is leading at Jale, Hajipur and Parbatta. Congress is leading at Bhagalpur seat.

The outcome of the bypoll is being considered as a "semi-final" before the crucial state poll next year as it will prove whether regrouping of "Mandal forces" against BJP has paid or not.

For BJP the challenge is to maintain its winning streak it had registered in the state in the general election.

Of the 10 seats that went to bypoll, BJP had 6 seats in the 2010 Assembly election while RJD had 3 and JD-U 1.

10:00 am: Bihar bypoll trends: BJP: 05, RJD: 02, JD-U: 02, Congress: 01.

09:58 am: Shiromani Akali Dal takes lead in Talwandi Sabo Assembly seat in Punjab.

09:48 am: JD-U takes lead in Jale Assembly seat in Bihar.

09:45 am: Congress takes lead in Bhagalpur Assembly seat in Bihar.

09:40 am: Congress takes lead in Chikkodi-Sadalga and Bellary Rural Assembly seats in Karnataka.

09:35 am: BJP takes lead in Agar Assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh.

09:28 am: BJP takes lead in Narkatiaganj Assembly seat in Bihar.

09:27 am: RJD is leading in Chapra and Mohiuddinagar seats in Bihar.

09:26 am: BJP is leading in Mohania, Jale, Hajipur, Banka and Rajnagar seats in Bihar.

09:20 am: BJP takes lead in Hajipur Assembly seat in Bihar.

09:17 am: BJP takes lead in Banka Assembly seat in Bihar.

09:12 am: BJP takes initial lead in Bahoriband Assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh.

09:11 am: Congress leader Preneet Kaur takes early lead in Patiala (Urban), Punjab.

09:10 am: JD-U leads in Parbatta Assembly seat in Bihar.

09:03 am: BJP takes initial lead in Rajnagar Assembly seat in Bihar.

09:00 am: BJP takes initial lead in Vijayraghavgarh Assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh.

08:55 am: RJD takes lead in Mohiuddinagar Assembly seat in Bihar.

08:45 am: BJP is leading in Mohania Assembly seat in Bihar.

08:41 am: BJP takes lead in Narkatiaganj Assembly seat in Bihar.

08:40 am: BJP takes lead in Jale Assembly seat in Bihar.

08:20 am: RJD chief Lalu Prasad rushed to Mumbai hospital for medical check-up.

08:00 am: Counting begins in Bihar for the ten Assembly seats that had gone to bypolls last week.

 

Courtesy: Indiatoday