Berth pangs for UP CM & deputy will have more impact than Raje's 'loss' in Raj polls
BJP’s dismal performance in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar may have increased headache for the Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah. But it definitely looks to reduce the ignominy faced by the saffron party in Rajasthan a month ago.
When BJP lost Alwar, Ajmer and Mandalgarh seats in the bypolls, guns were trained at the chief minister Vasundhara Raje. Her detractors got to question her leadership and launched an attack on her popularity. But the losses in Uttar Pradesh – in the home boroughs of both Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya – have diverted the attention from Raje.
The biggest setback for the BJP was defeat in Gorakhpur, which was held continuously by Yogi Adityanath for last five terms before he resigned after being picked to be chief minister. Before Yogi Adityanath, his mentor Mahant Avedyanath was the Gorakhpur MP for three terms starting 1989. Yogi was left with egg on his face as he had called the by-elections a "dress rehearsal for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections."
The BJP defeat also snatches away the thrill and momentum it created after conquering Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya. Victories in these states early this week have revived the sagging morale of party workers, who were down after losses in the bypolls.
“There’s no point in blaming the state leadership in Rajasthan for defeats. UP which looked invincible under Yogi’s regime faced losses. It clearly states that anti-incumbency is setting in, especially in states where BJP is ruling. Rajasthan is no different,” said a BJP leader.
On the other hand, Congress had a little say in Uttar Pradesh election where BSP and SP fought together making it a better combination than SP-Congress which contested the assembly election a year ago.
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