JD-U, BJP claim victory in Bihar, opposition struggles (Third Lead)
November 24th, 2010 - 11:23 am ICT by IANS Patna, Nov 24 (IANS) Bihar’s ruling alliance of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was Wednesday poised to retain power, with the vote count indicating a sweeping win in the assembly elections.
In the counting trends available in 177 of the 243 assembly seats, JD-U and BJP candidates were forging towards victory in 127 constituencies, crushing the divided opposition dreams of an upset verdict.
The Congress, which has been reduced to an also-ran in recent decades in Bihar, put up a humiliating show. Its candidates were ahead of others only in only a handful of seats.
Former chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) were on the victory lap only in 34 places.
The two parties were losing in some of their known strongholds.
“We are set to receive a massive mandate,” JD-U MP and party leader Shivanand Tiwari said in New Delhi, crediting the widely expected victory to the policies of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The BJP said the ruling alliance was poised for an emphatic win.
BJP state president C.P. Thakur said the ruling alliance was confident of securing a two-third majority.
In New Delhi, party spokesman Prakash Javadekar added: “The JD-U and BJP are headed for a historic victory. People are voting for an alliance that brought development as well as law and order to Bihar.”
He said the people had clearly voted against the RJD’s “15 years of jungle raj” - referring to the long rule of Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi.
Lalu Prasad’s residence in the heart of Patna was deserted, its green gates firmly shut.
Exit polls have predicted a clear win for the JD-U and BJP, which took office in 2005.
Former chief minister Rabri Devi, wife of Lalu Prasad, was trailing in Raghopur — one of the two constituencies from where she contested.
More than half of Bihar’s over 55 million electorate voted from Oct 21 and Nov 20 to elect a new 243-member assembly.
- JD-U, BJP take early lead in Bihar (Lead) - Nov 24, 2010
- Nitish Kumar's alliance heads for victory in Bihar (Second Lead) - Nov 24, 2010
- Rabri Devi files nomination papers for Bihar's Raghopur seat - Oct 09, 2010
- Rabri Devi files papers for Raghopur, Sonepur seats (Lead) - Oct 09, 2010
- Rabri Devi files nomination papers for upcoming Bihar Assembly polls - Oct 09, 2010
- Rabri Devi loses Raghopur, Sonepur seats (Third Lead) - Nov 24, 2010
- JD-U and BJP sweep Bihar, RJD and Congress humiliated (Fourth Lead) - Nov 24, 2010
- Rabri Devi loses Raghopur seat, trails in Sonepur (Second Lead) - Nov 24, 2010
- Rabri Devi trails in Raghopur - Nov 24, 2010
- Rabri Devi trails in Raghopur, Sonepur (Lead) - Nov 24, 2010
- Lalu dares Nitish, Modi to contest against Rabri - Oct 05, 2010
- Over 100 former Bihar legislators to vacate bungalows - Dec 15, 2010
- Rabri Devi to contest Bihar polls from two constituenies (Lead) - Oct 04, 2010
- Puja and polls: Nitish's family prays, Lalu helps Rabri with rituals - Oct 13, 2010
- BJP JD-U alliance sweeps Bihar Assembly polls, Nitish to take oath on Friday - Nov 24, 2010
Tags: assembly elections, assembly seats, bharatiya janata party, bjp, c p thakur, chief minister, claim victory, exit polls, green gates, lalu prasad, ljp, nitish kumar, party spokesman, ram vilas paswan, shivanand, state president, strongholds, victory lap, vilas, vote count