Jul 15, 2024 09:03 PM IST
The exceptional results in favour of the INDIA bloc in 13 bypolls held in seven states suggest that the Opposition, which delivered a vastly improved performance in the general election, still has the wind in its sails
The exceptional results in favour of the INDIA bloc in 13 bypolls held in seven states suggest that the Opposition, which delivered a vastly improved performance in the general election, still has the wind in its sails. This should boost its confidence since three states — Haryana, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra — are set to hold assembly elections in a few months.
The INDIA bloc won 10 of the 13 seats while the BJP was the winner in two constituencies; an independent won in Bihar. There are at least three takeaways from the results. One, the Opposition, especially the Congress, has not lost momentum since the results of the general election. Its success in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where it failed to win a single Lok Sabha seat also suggests that the voters pick horses for the courses. Second, the results mostly confirm the pattern that the party in office in a state tends to win bypolls: The results in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Himachal, Madhya Pradesh have favoured the ruling party in those states. Voters are guided by the belief that it is best to back the party in power to maximise governance gains. Third, the BJP may have to reflect on its setbacks in Uttarakhand and Himachal, particularly the former state where it is in its third consecutive term in government. The failure to win the Badrinath constituency should particularly rankle the BJP — a bypoll was forced because the incumbent Congress MLA defected to the BJP but failed to retain the seat. In Himachal, the Congress wrested two seats from independents who had joined the BJP, which led to the bypolls. The Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government, which appeared to wobble following defections in its ranks, now looks stable.
These results will have little bearing in Parliament but expect a more aggressive Opposition in the upcoming Budget session.
Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it’s all here, just a click away! –Login Now!
