BJP decimated in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh by-elections, suffers loss in Gujarat

BJP suffered reverses in Rajasthan winning just one of the four seats on Tuesday and was losing ground in Uttar Pradesh where SP was ahead and was neck and neck with Congress in Gujarat in the bypolls exactly four months after it swept the three states in Lok Sabha elections. The BJP, however, had a reason to smile in West Bengal where it made its debut in the state assembly on its own by winning the Basirhat Dakshin seat. The bypolls for 33 seats spread over 10 states were held on September 13.

The outcome of the bypolls are seen as yet another test of Narendra Modi government's popularity since it assumed power in May. It is also important as BJP prepares for polls in Haryana and Maharashtra next month where it hopes to oust the Congress in the two states. In Rajasthan, where BJP won all the 25 seats at stake in the Lok Sabha polls, Congress bagged Nasirabad, Weir and Surajgarh while BJP managed to win only Kota. "It is a huge effort by the Congress party workers and I must give credit to each and everyone especially young people," said Congress leader and former Union Minister Sachin Pilot, who is trying to revive the party in Rajasthan.

For the 9 seats in Gujarat, ruling BJP won four while Congress bagged two. BJP is leading in two while Congress is ahead on one. The bypolls are also considered to be a test for new Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel under whose leadership, the elections are being held for the first time after Modi became the Prime Minister. In Uttar Pradesh, where 11 seats were at stake, ruling SP bagged the first seat winning Thakurdwara in Moradabad district where its candidate Nawabjaan defeated his nearest rival Rajpal Singh of BJP by a margin of 27,023 votes. It was ahead in eight while BJP was leading in two.
While BSP did not contest the bypoll, Congress and SP fielded candidates on all the 11 Assembly seats, whereas BJP contested on 10 and its ally Apna Dal on one.

"I am grateful to the people of Uttar Pradesh for helping the Samajwadi Party," a visibly happy Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said. The current BJP President Amit Shah had scripted the sweep in UP helping the saffron party bag 71 seats while its ally Apna Dal got two out of the 80 seats in the politically crucial state.