The Congress might have won just two seats in Bihar, but it has a better story to tell than the tally suggests. The election results in Bihar show a clear mandate in favour of chief minister Nitish Kumar, but also carry premonitions of what seems like a Congress revival in the state.
The Congress party?s voting percentage has gone up from a dismal 5% in 2004 to 11.5% in the state. The party is placed second on four seats and third in 16, securing enough votes in all seats to stifle the chances of the RJD and LJP.
?We made it possible in spite of deciding to contest at the last moment. Samir Kumar Mahaseth and Ranjit Ranjan (1,47,594 votes) came second at Sitamarhi and Supaul respectively, forcing RJD and LJP candidates to the third spot,? says senior Congress leader Umakant Singh. Congress-backed NCP candidate Tariq Anwar and Independent Shanti Priya (Pappu Yadav?s mother) were placed second at Katihar and Purnea respectively, spoiling the game for the LJP. ?Lalu Prasad would have learnt by now that the Congress was not just a votekatwa (vote-cutter) but a silent assassin for the RJD-LJP,? Singh added.
There are other illustrations of the Congress?s spoiler effect. The high-pitched battle between Congress? Sadhu Yadav and LJP?s Prakash Jha in West Champaran (Bettiah) went in favour of the third candidate, BJP?s Sanjay Jaiswal. Sadhu did the required damage to first runner-up Jha by garnering 70,001 votes. Jha lost to Jaiswal by only 47,313 votes.
Though JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav won by over 1.77 lakh votes from Madhepura, Congress? 67,803 votes hit the RJD?s chances. In Hajipur, where Paswan lost to everyone?s surprise, the Congress could manage a third spot with 21,585 votes.