Union Minister Arjun Munda Faces Defeat by a Margin of Over 1.45 Lakh Votes
Khunti, a traditional BJP stronghold, witnessed a significant political shift as Congress candidate Kalicharan Munda secured a resounding victory against Union Tribal Welfare and Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda in the Lok Sabha elections.
KHUNTI – In a major upset, Congress candidate Kalicharan Munda has won the Khunti Lok Sabha seat, defeating incumbent Union Minister Arjun Munda by a substantial margin of 1,45,719 votes.
With 16 out of the total 17 rounds of counting completed, Kalicharan Munda has garnered 5,03,613 votes, while Arjun Munda has secured 3,57,894 votes.
The final round of counting is not expected to significantly alter the outcome, making Kalicharan Munda’s victory a certainty.
Khunti has long been considered a BJP bastion, with former MP Karia Munda consistently winning elections from this constituency.
After Karia Munda’s tenure, Arjun Munda was given the ticket and managed to secure a narrow victory by 1,448 votes in the previous election.
However, this time, Arjun Munda faced a crushing defeat, losing by a margin of approximately 1.5 lakh votes.
Kalicharan Munda, a resident of Khunti, expressed his commitment to the development of the area following his victory.
Interestingly, Kalicharan Munda’s brother, Neelkanth Munda, is a BJP MLA, adding an element of political intrigue to the contest.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to honor the memory of Lord Birsa Munda in the region did not translate into electoral success for the BJP in this instance.
Conceding defeat, Union Minister Arjun Munda stated, "The order of the public is acceptable. Whatever the public wants, happens."
