Infighting and resentment over Raghubar Das’s “autocratic style” of distributing tickets led to the BJP’s decimation in Kolhan, feel party workers after the poll debacle on Monday.

In the 2014 Assembly polls, the BJP had managed to win five out of 14 in the Kolhan. In 2019 it failed to open score.

Kolhan boasts BJP veterans such as Union minister Arjun Munda, Das and state party chief Laxman Giluwa.

Das and Giluwa suffered humiliating defeats this time.

BJP East Singhbhum general secretary Dinesh Kumar Sahu blamed “infighting”. “Perhaps people did not understand the development work done by our government and there was infighting among senior leaders which affected our candidates’ fortunes,” Sahu said.

Knives are also out for Das. “He preferred his own people and slighted those perceived to be close to Arjun Munda,” said a BJP worker.

In East Singhbhum’s most stunning battle, Independent Saryu Roy defeated Das by over 15,000 votes. In Jamshedpur West, Congressman Banna Gupta beat the BJP’s Devendra Nath Singh by 22,583 votes. The JMM’s Ramdas Soren won Ghatshila, defeating the BJP’s Lakhan Chandra Mardi by 6,724 votes. The BJP’s Kunal Sarangi, who had switched from the JMM as late as in October, lost Baharagora to the JMM’s Sameer Mohanty by over 60,000 votes.

The JMM’s Mangal Singh Kalindi won the Jugsalai seat, defeating the BJP’s Muchiram Bauri by 21,934 as sitting MLA Ramchandra Sahis of Ajsu had to be content with third spot.

In West Singhbhum, Giluwa lost Chakradharpur to Sukhram Oraon of the JMM by 12,234 votes, former IAS J.B. Tubid of the BJP lost the Chaibasa seat to JMM MLA Deepak Birua by 26,159 votes. Sitting JMM MLA Niral Purty won the Majhgaon seat by defeating BJP’s Bhupendra Pingua by 47,192 votes.

Congressman Sonaram Sinku defeated the JVM’s Mangal Singh Bobonga by 20,591 in Jagannathpur. The JMM’s Joba Manjhi beat the BJP’s Gurucharan Nayak by 16,019 votes to retain Manoharpur.

In Seraikela-Kharsawan, Sabita Mahato of the JMM won Ichagarh. The BJP’s sitting MLA Sadhu Charan Mahato slipped to third spot. The JMM’s Champai Soren retained Seraikela, defeating the BJP’s Ganesh Mahali by 15,667 votes. The JMM’s Dasrath Gagrai also retained Kharsawan, defeating the BJP’s Jawahar Lal Banra by 22,795 votes. The JMM’s Sanjib Sardar defeated BJP MLA Menka Sardar by 43,110 in Potka.