Solace for JD (U) with sole victory in Delhi

PATNA: The JD (U) made its mark in Delhi elections by winning one seat, a first by the party, and the victory came as a solace for its leaders who must be feeling uneasy over BJP sweeping the elections in four states.

Shoaib Iqbal, who contested the election on JD (U) ticket, retained his Muslim dominated Matia Mahal seat in the walled city. A four-time MLA, Iqbal had won in 2008 on LJP ticket. Earlier, he used to be a Janata Dal candidate.

Delhi JD (U) president Sabir Ali, MP, said his party finished second in Okhla and third in Sangam Vihar and Burari. The party had fielded 27 candidates. "We bagged over one lakh votes and made our presence felt," he said. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had also campaigned in a few constituencies at the fag end of electioneering.

Ali countered Bihar BJP president Mangal Pandey's comments that Biharis living in Delhi rejected Nitish and his JD (U). "The JD (U) candidates lost their deposits in all constituencies and their votes did not reach three digits," Pandey posted on Facebook. Ali said besides wining one seat, his party candidates polled 20,000 votes in Okhla and 4,000 to 10,000 votes in six other constituencies.

Reacting on the poll results in four states, state JD(U) president Bashistha Narain Singh said it was a direct contest between BJP and Congress in three states. In Delhi, people got an alternative. "No 'jadu' (magic) of any individual is reflected in these results," he said. "People want to see beyond Congress and BJP and when they get an alternative, they will support it on the basis of its 
programme-oriented policies and governance," he added.

JD (U) spokesman Niraj Kumar said Narendra Modi factor did not work in these elections. "In Madhya Pradesh, people supported Shivraj Singh Chauhan for his performance. In Rajasthan, there was a strong anti-incumbency factor and, in Chhattisgarh, where there was neck and neck fight between BJP and Congress, public in certain regions rejected the state government's policy on Left extremism. In Delhi, the BJP failed to get the number of seats it had been projecting and even lost its stronghold Rohini from where Narendra Modi had kicked off his campaign."

Faizan Ahmad 
TOI, Patna

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