By-Election: Big Jolt For Modi and BJP!

After dominating the Indian political scene for a decade with no strong opposition, the popularity of Narendra Modi appear to be dwindling in recent times. The fact that the BJP scraped through victory in the 2024 elections only with the help of coalition partners unlike the previous two terms is a pointer to the prevailing political atmosphere across the country.

Now, the by-election results seem to have given another huge shock to Modi and his party. In just a month after coming to power, the BJP suffered a huge humiliation as INDIA parties showed complete dominance in majority of the seats. Out of 13 seats to which by-election was held for various reasons on July 10th, BJP managed to take lead only in 2 segments while INDIA is clearly ahead in 10 constituencies. One independent candidate is on the verge of victory.

As the counting for these 13 assembly seats from seven different states is in the last phase, the trend suggests that the BJP received a big jolt from different parties like AAP, INC, Trinamool Congress and DMK.

While the BJP won with a decisive mandate in Hamirpur constituency of Himachal Pradesh and Amarwara segment in Madhya Pradesh, the Aam Aadmi party sprung a surprise in Punjab by retaining Jhalandhar West seat as Mohinder Bhagat won with a thumping 37000 votes majority.

Mamata Banerjee’s All India Trinamool Congress wrested power in all 4 seats and once again thwarted BJP’s growing prospects in West Bengal. Her party won with a landslide victory in Ranaghat Dakshin, Bagda, Maniktala and Raikanj.

The Indian National Congress managed to pull off victories with slender margins in Manglaur and Badrinath seats from Uttarakhand. The ruling DMK of Chief Minister MK Stalin won the Vikaravandi constituency with a comprehensive majority.

Going by these results, the graph of BJP is slowly declining in many states where it dominated all elections in the last ten years.