Results of the Assembly elections in Uttaranchal and Punjab have given a new shot in the arm to BJP to face the UP elections due in a month from now.
The party is confident it will pocket the elections to be held next month
LUCKNOW: Results of the Assembly elections in Uttaranchal and Punjab have given a new shot in the arm to the BJP to face the UP elections which are due in a month from now.
The results have dampened hopes of Congressmen who had been looking forward to the party’s resurgence in UP. The Bahujan Samaj Party is also upbeat over its sterling performance in Uttarakhand. The worst-hit in this entire episode is the ruling Samajwadi Party which did not win a single seat though it had contested all seats in both states.
“This is a resounding reply to those who were preparing to write us off in UP,” senior BJP leader Lalji Tandon told DNA soon after the results came in on Tuesday. “We will repeat this performance in UP, you just wait and see, we will form the government in UP too,” Tandon said, trying to make himself heard over the celebratory burst of crackers at the state BJP headquarters.
“We may not have won any seats but it is clear now that only the SP can stop the BJP,” Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav told reporters, in an obvious attempt to mask his disappointment. “In both the states, the Congress did not prove a worthy opponent… we will ensure the BJP’s rout in UP,” he said.
It is, in fact, the election result of the neighbouring Uttaranchal which promises to have a direct bearing on the electoral prospects in UP. The BJP has taken its tally to 34 in this hill state, which means an increase of as many as 17 seats over the last election. The Congress, on the other hand, has lost 15 seats to settle with a meagre tally of 21.
The Congress, facing a strong anti-incumbency wave, was hit hard by the price rise issue. “The price spiral was indeed the singlemost important issue which wrecked the party’s prospects,” Congress leader Pramod Tiwari admitted. He also agreed that the issue could affect the party in UP, too.
Other factors which contributed to the Congress’ rout included the infighting in the party and Uttaranchal Chief Minister ND Tiwari’s indiscreet distribution of laal batti (cars with red beacons) to about 300 people who were given ministerial status.
The cold war between the CM and state Congress president Harish Rawat had virtually split the party. This spelt humiliating defeats for even senior Cabinet ministers like PWD Minister Indira Hridayesh, known as the “second CM” of Uttaranchal because of her proximity to ND Tiwari.
Senior journalist MM Bahuguna said that the lop-sided development in favour of the plains areas (Kumaon) also cost the Congress dearly in the hill districts (Garhwal). “ND Tiwari did not contest the election which demoralised the party cadres. Then, he did not campaign whole-heartedly and hardly toured the hill areas where the Congress has lost badly,” he said.
The BJP played a smart game by not projecting a Chief Ministerial candidate. It also did not play up the Hindutva card as it is a non-issue in the hills. It’s campaign
focussed on rising prices and its promise of su-shaasan (good governance).
BSP has emerged as the new balancing force, with eight seats. “We were aiming at more than 10 seats,” said party leader Ram Achal Rajbhar, who was the incharge of the BSP’s Uttaranchal campaign.
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