By-poll results a wake-up call for BJP? Saffron party loses two constituencies, wins one

New Delhi: In a major setback for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), days after the NEET stir ended in the country, the saffron party lost two of three Assembly by-polls, the results of which were announced on Monday. Three constituencies that went to polls are – Bankipur (Bihar), Datia (Madhya Pradesh) and Manjalpur (Gujarat).

In a historic win from Bankipur, Jan Suraaj Party (JSP)’s Prashant Kishor won by the margin of 19,324 votes. While he received 64,151 votes, his nearest rival BJP Neeraj Kumar, received 44,827 votes. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s Rekha Kumari got 14,273 votes to be placed third.

Victory a wake-up call for PM Modi: Prashant Kishor

Reacting to his victory, Kishor said as per news agency PTI, “The victory is a wake-up call for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who must install a new Chief Minister in place of Samrat Choudhary, a man with criminal antecedents.”

Madhya Pradesh’s Datia too saw BJP’s defeat with Congress’ Ghanshyam Singh defeating BJP’s Ashutosh Tiwari by 6016 votes. While Singh received 66757 votes, Tiwari got 60,741 votes. The third place went to Azad Samaj Party (Kansi Ram)’s Damaodar Yadav ‘Mandal’ who got 22,527 votes.

What MP CM said on BJP’s defeat?

Reacting to BJP’s defeat in the state CM Mohan Yadav said, “This is a different matter. We secured 1,700 more votes than in the last assembly elections (in 2023). Along with the 2023 assembly elections, the BJP won all 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state. It is the first time the BJP achieved this feat since Independence.”

Manjalpur only consolation for BJP

The only consolation for the BJP was its win in Manjalpur. Here BJP’s Satyendrabhai Patel defeated Congress’ Bhikhabhai Rabari by the argin of 30, 630 votes. While Patel received 55481 votes, Rabari got 24851 votes. The third place went to NOTA which got 2247 votes.