Al Jazeera News :
India’s governing party and its allies have won key state election seen as a barometer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic downturn.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and his regional ally Janata Dal United (JDU) won 125 seats of Bihar state’s 243-seat legislature, India’s election commission website showed.
A coalition of more than three political parties led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) opposed to the incumbent alliance managed to win 110 seats.
The result, which was announced on early hours of Wednesday, mean that Nitish Kumar from the Janata Dal United (JDU) will likely return as chief minister. He has been in the post since 2005.
Modi on Tuesday thanked people of Bihar for making a “decisive decision” to give development a chance. “I again assure every citizen of Bihar that for the balanced development of every person, every region, we will continue to work with full dedication,” he tweeted.
Bihar in eastern India is its second-most populous state and one of its poorest. Control
of the key electoral battleground is seen as a referendum on Modi’s popularity.
The RJD and his allies have accused the state government of tempering with results – a charge denied by the election officials.
His opponents have criticised what they call his government’s inept handling of the pandemic, which has led to more than 127,000 death so far nationwide. Modi’s party and his alliance partner were pitted against the resurgent RJD party, led by a 31-year-old Tejashwi Yadav.
The young leader campaigned in an alliance with the Indian National Congress, the country’s main opposition party and communist parties, which put up an impressive performance winning 16 seats.
The alliance made employment for youth its main election promise in the state where the unemployment rate is nearly double the national average.
Modi’s party and his allies have focused on nationalistic policies.
India’s governing party and its allies have won key state election seen as a barometer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic downturn.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and his regional ally Janata Dal United (JDU) won 125 seats of Bihar state’s 243-seat legislature, India’s election commission website showed.
A coalition of more than three political parties led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) opposed to the incumbent alliance managed to win 110 seats.
The result, which was announced on early hours of Wednesday, mean that Nitish Kumar from the Janata Dal United (JDU) will likely return as chief minister. He has been in the post since 2005.
Modi on Tuesday thanked people of Bihar for making a “decisive decision” to give development a chance. “I again assure every citizen of Bihar that for the balanced development of every person, every region, we will continue to work with full dedication,” he tweeted.
Bihar in eastern India is its second-most populous state and one of its poorest. Control
of the key electoral battleground is seen as a referendum on Modi’s popularity.
The RJD and his allies have accused the state government of tempering with results – a charge denied by the election officials.
His opponents have criticised what they call his government’s inept handling of the pandemic, which has led to more than 127,000 death so far nationwide. Modi’s party and his alliance partner were pitted against the resurgent RJD party, led by a 31-year-old Tejashwi Yadav.
The young leader campaigned in an alliance with the Indian National Congress, the country’s main opposition party and communist parties, which put up an impressive performance winning 16 seats.
The alliance made employment for youth its main election promise in the state where the unemployment rate is nearly double the national average.
Modi’s party and his allies have focused on nationalistic policies.
