File photo: Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar (left) and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Yadav (AP photo)
Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar's mega gamble seems to have paid off; along with the Congress they have won six of the 10 seats where by-elections were held in Bihar. The BJP has won four, a deficit of two seats from 2010 and a big slide when compared to its performance in these assembly segments just three months ago in the national elections.
Following are the top developments:
It has been a disappointing day all round for the BJP, which is also reeling from a painful defeat in the Bellary Rural assembly seat in Karnataka, where by-elections were held in three seats. The ruling Congress has won two. The BJP has won Shikaripur, where former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa's son BY Raghavendra contested, but by a very modest margin. (Karnataka By-Elections: In Major Coup, Congress Takes Bellary)
Even in its comfort zone of Madhya Pradesh - which has handed the BJP big sweeps in state and national elections in the last one year - the party has ceded a seat to the Congress. Congress leader Sourabh Singh won in Bahoriband, a seat held by the BJP earlier. Of three seats where by-elections were held, the BJP has won the other two.
In Bihar, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav put aside their legendary rivalry to test the grounds with these by-elections ahead of state elections next year. Their aim of preventing another BJP sweep has been effectively met.(Bihar By-Elections: Lalu-Nitish Win 6 Out of 10 Seats)
Nitish Kumar said today's result signaled winds of change. "The BJP used to think that the upper caste votebank is with them. There is no caste votebank here, the people here take their own calls," he said.
The BJP had credited what it called a "Narendra Modi wave" for its alliance winning 31 of Bihar's 40 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. Leaders from Lalu's Rashtriya Janata Dal and Nitish's Janata Dal (United) said today's election proves that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot deliver the state to his party, the BJP.
From a Mumbai hospital where he is undergoing a scheduled heart check-up, Mr Yadav tweeted, "I thank the people of Bihar for making the grand alliance win. Voters across the country have rectified the mistakes made in Lok Sabha elections."
BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain, a prominent Bihar leader was quick to blame the state leaders, him included. "The result is not as we expected. The state BJP takes responsibility," he said, adding, "We must not compare this with the Lok Sabha elections results."
Nitish and Lalu based their mega-alliance on the calculation that they could consolidate the Muslim-Yadav-backward classes vote in Bihar. Their partnership was seen as incompatible by many as the two leaders have built their political careers on discrediting the other for over 20 years.
Of the 10 seats, the BJP had won six, the RJD had won three, the JD(U) one and the Congress none in 2010. Today, the BJP has won four, the RJD three, the Janata Dal (United) two and the Congress one.
In Punjab, the Congress has retained Patiala; it fielded Preneet Kaur, the wife of Patiala royal and Congress MP Amarinder Singh, who is famous for defeating Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Lok Sabha elections. The Aam Aadmi Party candidate in Patiala lost his deposit. The Akali Dal won in Talwandi Sabo.(Read: Congress Keeps Patiala Seat, Amarinder Singh's Wife Preneet Kaur Wins)
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