India’s electoral commission has announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost a state election to a coalition of opposition forces in the eastern state of Jharkhand, following the announcement of a new controversial citizenship bill.
In the election, the BJP won 25 seats in the state legislature, out of 81, whilst the opposition party, the Congress party, and its allies won a majority of 47 seats. This election is an upset for the BJP ending its five-year rule in the state and was seen as a snub against the party.
The controversial citizenship bill provides a pathway to citizenship for non-muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Since the announcement of the bill thousands have taken to the streets. 23 people have been killed since the bill was passed in May. The majority of deaths occurred in Uttar Pradesh where 20% of the population is Muslim. The BJP governs Uttar Pradesh.
The Guardian reports that since December 2018, the BJP has lost power in 5 state elections; in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The BJP initially gained power in 2014 when it gained a majority.
Read the Guardian reporting here.
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