Local issues played role in Jharkhand defeat: BJP

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Monday attributed its loss in the

Jharkhand assembly polls

to "local issues", and said "internal strife" also appeared to have a significant impact in the state, where the JMM-Congress alliance is set to form the government.

Party spokesperson

GVL Narasimha Rao

said the BJP will analyse in detail factors for the loss in the state but added that the lack of an alliance against a united opposition also had a role.

"Inability of local leadership to convince the electorate for repeat of the mandate and internal strife within the party also appeared to have a significant fall out. A detailed analysis will be done," he said.

BJP's face in the state and incumbent chief minister

Raghubar Das

lost to party rebel Saryu Roy, who left the party after being denied ticket from Jamshedpur (West) seat. Roy contested the poll from the Jamshedpur (East), a seat held by Das five times, as an Independent.

"We have seen that local elections are increasingly influenced by the performance of the local government and local factors," Rao said, referring to recent assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra besides Jharkhand.

As per the latest figures from the Election Commission, the JMM-led alliance appeared on course to win a majority in the 81-member Jharkhand assembly.