In contrast to the Lok Sabha results, the outcome of the five Assembly by-elections in Bihar has swung the other way.
The RJD was the real gainer, winning three out of the five seats while the BJP suffered reverses, managing to win only one and the JD(U), which was routed in the Lok Sabha elections, getting just one Assembly seat.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar found consolation in the victory of his candidate from Kochadaman Assembly constituency as it takes his party’s tally in the 243-member-strong Bihar Assembly to 116.
He is now just five short of the half-way mark of 122. He continues to enjoy the support of the Congress (4), the CPI (1) and five independents.
The BJP could win only one of the two seats it won in 2010. Two of the BJP legislators had resigned as legislators and contested the Lok Sabha on a JD(U) ticket without success.
By winning three seats, the RJD redeemed its image after 13 of its legislators sought to split the party though nine of them returned to its fold. Out of the four, one had resigned his seat and filed his nomination papers on the JD(U) ticket from the Kishanganj Lok Sabha seat.
Akhtarul Iman withdrew from the fray which helped the Congress win the Kishanganj seat and led to a polarisation of votes.
The RJD’s tally has gone up to 21 with the victory of three seats while that of the BJP has gone up to 90.
Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi demanded that the Chief Minister quit on moral grounds.
Expelled JD(U) leader Shivanand Tiwari, however, hoped Mr. Kumar would resign as Chief Minister and recommend dissolution of the Assembly to the Governor not only as a face-saving exercise but to put down any move by his detractors to foment trouble for him.