BYPOLL SHOCK TO BJP
The BJP, which has been riding on a victory wave in the country, was in for a rude shock as it lost the Ballari Lok Sabha seat, considered a stronghold of the mining barons — the Reddy brothers in the recently concluded Karnataka bypolls. The setback for the saffron party comes just before the upcoming elections in five states.
The BJP was able to win only one Parliamentary seat, while the ruling Congress- JDS alliance won two Lok Sabha seats and two Assembly seats. The bypolls is also being seen as a test for the ruling Congress- JDS coalition in the state. Karnataka is a state where more than religion, caste plays a crucial role. The BJP was unable to penetrate beyond a certain point.
For the BJP, winning the bypolls would have given it a gateway to the South, a region where the party has been struggling to make inroutes. However, the bypoll results also means that the issues that the BJP has been raking up — Sabarimala, or the Lingayat issue are not having the desired impact on the party’s electoral fortunes.
Analysts feel that the 4: 1 win will only strengthen the Congress and JDS coalition, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, where both the parties are planning to fight the saffron party together.
Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah termed the victory as a Diwali gift and said that this is the forewarning of what is to come in the upcoming elections.