Following the results of the Ghosi by-election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh has begun reviewing the results of the elections. Along with the review, the party is also contemplating the roles of its constituent parties, which play a crucial role in the upcoming state Assembly elections.
However, before it does so, the think tank of the BJP will analyse the functions of its constituents. According to the BJP’s spokesperson Sanjay Chaudhary, “We are reviewing the entire election and its results. It has been instructed by the state president to conduct this review, which will also assess the roles of our allied parties. Based on this, decisions will be made regarding the expansion of the cabinet in the state.”
On the other hand, Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi said that this victory “belongs to the Gathbandhan (coalition)” and added that the victory of the alliance’s candidate against the BJP was an indicator that Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra campaign had “awakened the public”.
Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party (SP) is currently in a celebratory mood after the Ghosi by-election results, especially since this victory has been regarded as a litmus test for the upcoming elections scheduled for next year. The SP’s spokesperson Manoj Yadav stated that the BJP would “need to change” its strategy. “Although the PDA (Pichde, Dalit, Alpasankhyak or Backward Classes, Dalits, Minorities) may not have been successful on paper, the people have accepted it.”
Moving forward, the BJP will need to listen to the voices and grievances of the marginalised and minorities and conduct a caste-based census. The by-election in Ghosi serves as an example, and unless the party changes its strategy, it might continue to receive such warnings from the general public. The BJP is currently focusing on its internal organisational and coalition partner roles following the Ghosi election results, and it will be interesting to see how it impacts the potential expansion of the cabinet in the state.
