Lucknow,
The national party BJP lost By-polls to all three Lok Sabha seats it contested, including its fortress Gorakhpur, and Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh, besides Araria in Bihar.
The BJP along with its allies had swept 73 of the 80 seats in UP in 2014 By-poll outcome in general but the loss of Gorakhpur in particular sparked shock. It also comes as an anticlimax after the BJP’s surprise win in three northeastern states, including Tripura, where it scripted history. Demolishing the Left citadel of 25 years and forming its first government in the state.
The conquer energized the Opposition, which claimed that the victory had laid the foundations for a striking alliance in 2019.
Here’s a look at the key people in this election.
Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh Yadav
Victories in the by-elections to Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats in UP are expected to push Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav back to the political centre stage.
.The twin by-election victories it scored on Wednesday after striking an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) could play a role in determining the opposition’s strategy in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Akhilesh said “UP’s by-poll outcome has sent a political message across the country as the BJP has lost the seats held by CM Yogi Adityanath and deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, BJP failed to keep the promises made to the people. Its failure on farm loan waiver front and providing employment have been causes of concern.”
He also targeted Adityanath for using abusive language. “No CM has ever shown such disrespect and used derogatory language… The SP-BSP alliance was called a tie-up between a snake and a mole…”
This factor was probably on top of his mind as he decided to send the leader of opposition in UP assembly Ram Govind Chaudhary to meet Mayawati at her residence before speaking to reporters.
Bahujan Samaj Party, Mayawati
Late on Wednesday night, Akhilesh Yadav drove up to BSP chief Mayawati’s house on Lucknow’s Mall Road to thank her for supporting the SP bid in Gorakhpur and Lucknow.
The moment was noteworthy at different levels.
Mulayam Singh, Akhilesh’s father and Mayawati shared a deep rivalry.
Mayawati has lost three elections in a row — 2012, 2014 and 2017.
Yet Mayawati has also held over 20% of the vote election after election. Her voters also ‘transfer’ their votes more willingly than other social groups when the party line says so. And so, while BSP did not even contest this election, her signal to the party to support SP benefited it tremendously. It re-established her importance in state and national politics and prevented a fragmentation of the anti-BJP vote.
Mayawati is back as a factor in 2019 polls, even without contesting.
