Jamshedpur: The results of the Mango Municipal Corporation (MMC) elections have rewritten the political equations in Jamshedpur. While the BJP found itself trapped in a web of internal rebellion and “vote-cutter” candidates, Sudha Gupta, wife of former Minister Banna Gupta, emerged victorious with a staggering margin of 18,601 votes.
The Core Breach: BJP’s Traditional Stronghold Crumbles
Sudha Gupta secured a total of 42,022 votes, leaving the BJP-backed candidate Sandhya Singh far behind at 23,421 votes.
Political analysts suggest that Singh’s defeat was fueled more by internal sabotage than external competition. In areas traditionally considered BJP strongholds, independent candidates Sushila Singh (4,091 votes) and Dr. Banita Sahay (1,688 votes) combined to pull away nearly 6,000 “core” votes. This internal leak proved fatal for Sandhya Singh’s campaign.
The Surprising ‘Zeba Factor’
The most intriguing aspect of the election was the voting pattern in minority-dominated areas. Shaista Parveen, alias Zeba Khan, stunned observers by polling 11,166 votes, while Zeba Qadri secured 2,918 votes.
Together, these two candidates pocketed over 14,000 votes that traditionally split between mainstream parties. This shift indicates a growing preference for independent local faces over traditional party banners in specific pockets of Mango.
Strategic Advantage for Sudha Gupta
In a classic case of a three-way split benefiting the leader, Sudha Gupta maintained a steady grip on her support base while her rivals’ votes were fragmented. With the BJP’s core votes diverted by Sushila and Banita, and a chunk of the minority vote moving toward Zeba Khan, the path was cleared for Gupta’s landslide victory.
The results serve as a wake-up call for organizational discipline, proving that when “core” votes scatter, the opposition’s path to power becomes a cakewalk.
