In a setback for the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Sudhakar Singh on Friday registered a resounding victory in the Ghosi bypoll by 42,759 votes against the saffron party’s Dara Singh Chauhan. Mr. Singh polled 1,24,427 votes against the BJP nominee who polled 81,668 votes.
The high-stake bypoll, held on September 5, due to Mr. Chauhan resigning as the SP MLA and the first electoral contest in India’s politically most crucial State after the formation of the opposition Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) and the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), a Rajbhar OBC-centric party, joining hands with the BJP, gave multiple messages to both the alliances going into the 2024 parliamentary polls. The SP termed the result not only a political defeat of the BJP, but also a moral defeat and indicator of the 2024 Lok Sabha verdict, while the BJP said the negative result is more due to local factors and should not be considered a referendum on the State government. “This is not only a political defeat of the BJP, it is also a moral defeat. The victory of the SP and INDIA alliance candidate not only broken the pride of the BJP but also given indications about the result of the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This is the beginning of the BJP’s end,” said SP president Akhilesh Yadav.
Mr. Yadav said Uttar Pradesh would once again be the flag bearer of change in India’s politics. “Uttar Pradesh will once again be the leader of the change in the country,” he added.
