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Once again the by-election results have proved to be a major setback for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Out of the four Lok Sabha seats and the 11 Assembly constituency seats which went to polls on 28 May, the BJP has won only 1 Lok Sabha seat and 1 Assembly seat.
Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) Director Sanjay Kumar explained the significance of these results in a special dialogue with The Quint.
‘Opposition’s Unity a Threat to the BJP’
Kumar said the BJP has always benefitted from a scattered Opposition, adding:
The clear message from Kairana is that if the Opposition parties unite, then it will be difficult for the BJP. The party has been reaping the benefits of a scattered Opposition not just in Uttar Pradesh but in a number of states. The anti-BJP votes need to unite in order to defeat the party.Sanjay Kumar, Director, CSDS
‘Ganna Prevails Over Jinnah’
According to Kumar, the BJP’s strategy is clear: When the Opposition unites against them, they play their trump card – Religion.
An attempt was made to bring the controversy in Aligarh Muslim University to Kairana. However, that failed to break a unified Dalit, Muslim, and Jat equation.Sanjay Kumar, Director, CSDS
The Message From Palghar
In Palghar, Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena and BJP contested the elections separately. There the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) also contested, but in the end the BJP won.
The anti-BJP vote was split between the Shiv Sena and the BVA. The BJP reaped the benefit of that. The Congress, which is currently at number four, has not been able to establish a stronghold in Maharashtra. They are in need of a solid alliance.Sanjay Kumar, Director, CSDS
‘Taslimuddin Factor’ Works Magic at Jokihat
Lalu Prasad Yadav’s party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, won the Assembly bypoll in Jokihat, Bihar. However, according to Kumar, instead of indicating a rise in the party’s popularity, this win is reflective of Mohammed Taslimuddin’s popularity in the region.
RJD leader Mohammed Taslimuddin has won the Lok Sabha election from this region more than once, even his elder son has. Now, the fact that his younger son has won in Jokihat, shows how popular the family is.Sanjay Kumar, Director, CSDS
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