UP bypoll results: What should be learning lessons for BSP, Congress?

The BJP may have been decimated at the hands of ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh by polls for 11 Assembly seats but things were no good for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress either. Both these parties are registering a dip in their voters share and must gather their socks to ensure a better show in next assembly polls in the state.

Congress's flop show continues in UP

The Congress, which was going gaga over its emphatic performance in the state of Rajasthan and Gujarat, was quick to hit back at the BJP and but made no mention of its performance in the Hindi heartland where it failed to open its account. To make matters worse for the grand old party of India which has its top brass, that is Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, as Members of Lok Sabha from this very state came a distant third in almost every assembly constituency.

Congress's vote share dips further

This shows how badly Congress's credibility is depleted in the state which gave the country most number of Prime Ministers and was party's stronghold. Almost every Congress leader claimed party's victory in Rajasthan and Gujarat that it is gaining its lost ground but not a word was uttered on its continued poor show in UP. None of the Congress leader took responsibility for party's drubbing in the bypolls instead kept criticising the rival BJP for its failure in the by polls.

Now, a question arises why Congress didn't manage to win even a single seat? Well, there are two obvious reasons for it first, the party's selection of candidates wasn't apt as none of them managed to connect with the voters. Second, the party still lacks its credibility in the minds of UP voters. Experts are also of the view that none of the party's big leader campaigned for their candidates which also resulted in the party's poor show.

By-poll results are yet another addition to the party's list of dismal show in the state. Party's performance has seen a down slide right from 2012 assembly polls and it continues to go worse. The party had won 28 assembly seats in 2012, reduced to 2 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and that reduced to zero in the by-polls.

No good signs for BSP too

BSP may have surprised all by directly not participating in the by-polls but the party wanted its presence felt by backing the Independents. Sources are of the view that BSP supremo Mayawati played her card at the very last moment by issuing secret directives to senior party workers that they must ensure the defeat of the Samajwadi Party in all constituencies and should transfer the party's vote to a candidate who is in a position to beat the SP.

But, results prove that Mayawati's last minute effort to shock the SP too didn't work. With this, one can draw a conclusion that her traditional Dalit vote bank once again betrayed her by paying no heed to her suggestions. Else, the BJP, which was giving tough fight to the SP, might have won more seats. Also, none of the Independents whom the BSP had openly backed, at the time of campaigning, managed to win.

While, others are of the view that the none of the Independents backed by the BSP won the by polls because the Dalit votes were either deflected in BJP or SP's favour. There were at least 20,000 to 25,000 Dalit votes in almost every assembly constituency. Though just 25,000 odd votes cannot determine an Independent's victory but it would have definitely reduced SP and BJP's votes. The Independents would also have acquired a third position in fray. This proves that the party's vote bank has shrunk.

Hence, the by poll results prove that coming days are not good for the prospects of the BSP and Congress. Instead of entering into political mudslinging the parties need to rework on their grass root level to give a tough fight to SP and BJP.