The bypoll results for 30 seats from 14 States were a mixed bag for the BJP. While the party improved its performance in North Eastern States with the help of allies, in States such as Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal it tasted defeat.
In Andhra Pradesh, the ruling YSRCP defeated the BJP candidate in Badvel. In Assam, the BJP and its ally United Peoples’ Party Liberal (UPPL) won all the five Assembly seats where by-polls were held. The elections were held after five MLAs from other parties resigned and joined the BJP.
In Bihar, the ruling JD(U) retained both Tarapur and Kusheshwar Asthan seats despite a high-voltage campaign by RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav.
In Haryana, Indian national Lok Dal leader Abhay Singh Chautala defeated the BJP candidate in Ellenabad.
‘BJP will introspect’
In Himachal Pradesh, the Congress won the Mandi Lok Sabha seats and three Assembly seats. It wrested one Assembly seat from the BJP and retained two. Chief Minister and BJP leader Jai Ram Thakur said his party will “introspect” the results.
In Karnataka, the BJP and the Congress won one seat each.
In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP won Khandwa Lok Sabha seat and three Assembly seats. The party wrested one Assembly seat from the Congress in a relief to the BJP government in the State led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan. In Maharashtra, the Congress won the lone bypoll in Delgur constituency.
In Dadra Nagar Haveli, the Shiv Sena won the Lok Sabha seat defeating the BJP. In Rajasthan, the Congress won both the seats. In Telangana, BJP was leading in the Huzurabad seat against the ruling TRS.
‘Dwindling popularity’
In West Bengal, the BJP was defeated by huge margins by the Trinamool Congress in four Assembly seats.
The Congress claimed that the results are an indication of BJP’s dwindling popularity. Party leader Rajeev Shukla told reporters here that the Congress secured unprecedented victory in States such as Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. “It is a clear indication that people have lost interest in the BJP,” he said.