Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 | 35-second video clip key reason behind my polls defeat: Former minister Banna Gupta

Jamshedpur: Congress leader and former Jharkhand health minister Banna Gupta on Wednesday alleged that a 35-second video clip containing a half-truth about his campaign “under a conspiracy” was a major cause of his defeat in the assembly polls.

Besides, publicity for the works carried out during his tenure was inadequate, claimed Gupta who lost to Saryu Roy of the JD(U) by over 7,800 votes in Jamshedpur West constituency.

The JMM-Congress-RJD coalition returned to power for the second time in a row in Jharkhand last week, winning 56 seats in the 81-member assembly.

“A distorted video of my election campaign made viral under a well-planned conspiracy damaged my poll prospect,” he said.

The former minister said that he did not take it seriously presuming that such things have become common during canvassing now-a-days.

“At a public meeting in Mango, I was trying to explain the beauty of unity in diversity. I had said if any Hindu fundamentalist attacks a Muslim, I will stand before him to protect him and Muslims will stand to protect a Hindu in case a Muslim fanatic attacks a Hindu.

“However, only the first part of the statement – a 35-second clip out of my 75-minute speech - was made viral by my rival. This cost me dear,” Gupta said.

He claimed that development works worth about Rs 1400 crore had taken place in his home constituency and those included a flyover and upgradation of a hospital, but it was not publicized properly.

Gupta expressed hope that the works he started for the people of the constituency would continue without any problem.

Maharashtra Assembly poll 2024 results | Check constituency results here

Jharkhand Assembly poll 2024 results | Check constituency results here

Bypoll 2024 results | Check Karnataka results here

Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls took place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP went up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress tried to make their mark. Maha Yuti are currently comfortably poised to win. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faced a challenge after Hemant Soren's arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP, but look set to retain power with its I.N.D.I.A. allies. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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