UP Bypoll Results: In the by-elections held on nine assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led NDA further strengthened the political stature of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath by winning seven seats. At the same time, Congress not contesting the elections and Bahujan Samaj Party's poor performance again established Samajwadi Party (SP) as the main opposition party in the state. The by-election in the state was a prestige issue for the BJP as the 'India' alliance had dealt a major blow to the ruling alliance in the Lok Sabha elections this year. The candidates who won the seven assembly seats won by the BJP alliance were unanimous that Yogi Adityanath and his call for (Hindu) unity played a big role in the victory.
If we are united then we are safe, if we are divided we will be divided, the effect of the slogan
Even before the Election Commission officially confirmed the results, a confident Adityanath reached the party office in Lucknow and reiterated the importance of 'if we are united, we are safe, if we divide, we will be divided'. BJP had given this slogan for the first time in August but it was used very well in the by-elections. BJP further strengthened the atmosphere by explaining 'Hindu unity' in a door-to-door contact campaign with its workers.
A BJP leader said, “During the dialogue we urged people not to get divided on the basis of caste and vote unitedly. The slogans raised by our leaders ‘Bantenge to Katenge’ and ‘Ek Rahenge to Safe Rahenge’ helped the message reach home quickly.” The Muslim-dominated Kundarki assembly seat in western Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad district was a test for the BJP's Hindu unity, as the party had not won the seat since 1993.
The campaign revolved around “Ram and the Nation”
The BJP's campaign in the bypolls largely revolved around “Ram and the nation” and Adityanath, during his brief interaction at the office, termed the BJP's victory in Kundarki as a victory for “nationalism”. A senior BJP leader said, “This first victory of the BJP on this seat (Kundaraki) since 1993 was possible because the people united and supported the BJP while the casteist tactics of the opposition were foiled.”
Muslims also voted for BJP in Kundarki
NDA candidate also won in Mirapur
SP faced defeat in Meerapur assembly seat despite the significant presence of Muslims. In Meerapur seat, Sumbul Rana, daughter-in-law of former SP MP Kadir Rana, had to face defeat at the hands of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) candidate Mithilesh. On this seat too, SP had to bear the brunt of the division of Muslim votes as two Muslim candidates, including one from All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), got 41,000 votes, which is more than the BJP's victory margin.
Yogi himself took the responsibility of Katehari
Image Credit: India_Tv.