New Delhi The BJP has faced back-to-back setbacks this month. Last week saw protests and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged question paper leaks. This week began with losses in two assembly bypolls — Bankipur in Bihar and Datia in Madhya Pradesh, both BJP-ruled states. Usually, ruling parties perform well in bypolls. Gujarat’s Manjalpur seat proved that, where the BJP won by a big margin. In that context, the losses in Bankipur and Datia stand out. Bankipur: A Major Blow The Bankipur loss hurts the most. The BJP had won this seat by over 50,000 votes last time. This time, Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor won it, giving his party its first seat in the state assembly. A booth-level review is planned. Initial BJP assessment claims the RJD shifted its votes to Kishor. Tejashwi Yadav campaigned for just one hour. BJP leaders allege there was an understanding between RJD and Prashant Kishor. According to them, while RJD held on to its core voters, it backed Kishor to cut into the BJP’s upper-caste support base. RJD’s Rekha Gupta polled over 46,000 votes last election. This time she got under 15,000. The BJP’s own vote count dropped by nearly one-third. Leaders admit a section of core voters stayed away and that this needs review. They also called Kishor’s direct attacks on the Chief Minister “misplaced.” Sources say changing the candidate also hurt. It sent a message that voters were being taken for granted. Local leaders were given campaign responsibility. Former state BJP chief Nitin Nabin, whose traditional seat this was, visited four times. But leaders concede that core voters were unhappy over issues like the NEET paper leak protests, UGC guidelines, and the Bharat Tiwari encounter. Low turnout reflected that anger. Student protests and police action across Bihar also impacted sentiment. Datia: Trouble For MP Unit The Datia defeat adds to pressure on Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav, who is already facing internal criticism. Much of the blame may fall on former minister Narottam Mishra, a three-time winner from the seat. He had openly expressed unhappiness after being denied a ticket. His supporters staged protests, though he later campaigned for the party. The BJP even lost at Mishra’s own polling booth. Party leaders say Datia was always a tough contest. The BJP had lost it in the last assembly polls too, despite a strong wave in the state. Congress simply retained the seat. But the party does admit that candidate selection in both Bankipur and Datia played a role in the outcome. What’s Next While BJP leaders are not directly linking the results to youth anger and protests, introspection is certain. Leaders say the party and government must now focus on core issues. Changes in both the organization and the administration are likely in the coming months. Post navigation E20 Protest: Kejriwal Announces Aug 4 March To PM Residence
