edited by: Oindrila Mukherjee
Last Update: March 03, 2023, 00:04 IST
(L-R) BJP chief Temjem Imma from Nagaland, Ernest Mowry from Meghalaya and Rajib Bhattacharjee from Tripura. (Image: News18)
Despite a clear majority in Tripura, first-time candidate Rajeev Bhattacharya lost the Banamalipur seat to the Congress, while Ernest Mowry lost to the UDP in the West Shillong seat.
Two of the three BJP state presidents lost assembly elections in the northeastern states of Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
only temjem imma along, the Nagaland BJP president managed to win his seat. The rising star of the party in the Northeast, he has a massive following on social media. But he also won a tough fight.
Together they became known for their witty and humorous comments, which often went viral – one of which was about the benefits of having “small eyes”.
In Tripura, despite a clear majority for the saffron party, state unit chief and first-time candidate Rajib Bhattacharya lost against former state Congress chief Gopal Chandra Roy in the Banamalipur assembly constituency by a margin of 1,369 votes. Former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb had won from this seat in the 2018 elections.
Other leaders including Chief Minister Manik Saha, his cabinet colleague Ratan Lal Nath and Union Minister Pratima Bhowmik won from Town Bardovali, Mohanpur and Dhanpur. However, Deputy CM Jishnu Dev Varma lost the Charilam seat to Tipra Motha’s Subodh Deb Barma by a narrow margin of 858 votes.
In Meghalaya, state unit president Ernest Mowry, who hit headlines ahead of the elections for saying he ate beef, lost the West Shillong seat to UDP’s Paul Lyngdoh.
Last month, Mowry had said that if the BJP comes to power in Meghalaya, it will not impose any ban on beef consumption. He said Meghalaya is a Christian-majority state and the BJP, after coming to power, would provide more security to the community.
“I cannot comment on the resolution adopted by other states. We are in Meghalaya, everyone eats beef, and there is no restriction. Yes, I eat beef too. There is no restriction in Meghalaya. This is the lifestyle of the people, no one can stop it. there is no such rule India Too. Some states have passed some Acts. In Meghalaya, we have slaughterhouses; Everyone takes a cow or a pig and brings it to the market. This one can be neat. So, people, they have a habit,” he was quoted by news agency ANI.
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