20 May 2009, PTI
RANCHI: The UPA frittered away its 2004 alliance strength letting the BJP bounce back to capture eight of the 14 seats in Jharkhand in the Lok Sabha elections.
The Congress-JMM-RJD-CPI combine had swept the 2004 polls bagging 13 seats among them, but failed this time as the RJD and CPI fought separately, while internal rumblings and JMM president Shibu Soren's indifferent health proved detrimental to the Congress-JMM tie-up.
Union minister and Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay (Ranchi) was the lone winner for the Congress, while Soren (Dumka) and Kameswarh Baitha (Palamau) emerged winners for the JMM.
The Congress lost five and the JMM two seats. Though Sahay retained the seat, his victory margin dwindled from 15,421 votes in 2004 to a little over 13,000 this time.
Similarly, Soren's winning margin of 18,812 votes was poor compared to 1,15,015 votes last time.
The JMM, however, gained the Palamau seat where it allotted ticket to jailed Kameswar Baitha who defeated sitting MP Ghuran Ram of the RJD.
The BJP, which had no member in the 14th Lok Sabha from the state as it had lost its lone seat it won in 2004, benefited from the UPA's disintegration, contrary to its national showing.
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